Resurrection
by werks
Summary: S1-04: This is the fourth part of the series that started with "He lets me call him Frank now," "Follow Your Heart" and "Home Sweet Home" - Best to read them in order if just starting. This installment is a little darker. Eddie and Jamie adjust to life with a toddler and look forward to their new addition while the Reagans do what they do best when they are targeted by an old foe!
1. Chapter 1

_This is the fourth part of the series that started with "He lets me call him Frank now," "Follow Your Heart" and "Home Sweet Home" - Best to read them in order if just starting. This installment is a little darker. Eddie and Jamie adjust to life with a toddler and look forward to their new addition while the_ _Reagans_ _do what they do best when they are targeted by an old foe!_

 _Hold on for the ride, this is a long one with a lot of twists and turns! Pre-written for the most part so I try to update daily if possible._

 _Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing. CBS owns Blue Bloods; I just take the characters out for a spin for fun._

* * *

Chapter 1

Jamie Reagan was nervously drumming his fingers on a conference room table in the legal wing of the NYPD office building at 1PP during a regularly scheduled staff meeting. It was a Tuesday afternoon in early December and he had been recently promoted to Assistant Director of Special Investigations in the Criminal Section of the Legal Bureau. True to his word, Deputy Commissioner Charles Miller had put Jamie's career on the fast track, and he suddenly found himself acting as one of the top liaisons in the department, working almost exclusively with the FBI to coordinate operations between the two agencies. In addition, he was also responsible for conducting training for other units on criminal and constitutional law. It made for a rather full schedule, and he was due to leave early the following morning for a three-day conference in Washington D.C. while accompanying his father, Police Commissioner, Frank Reagan, to review a particularly detailed op that was scheduled to begin in the city in the following weeks.

But it wasn't the prospect of that high-powered meeting that had Jamie nervously glancing at his watch for the fifteenth time in the last twenty minutes as one of the Deputy Chiefs droned on about recent changes in the Freedom of Information Law description requirements. Rather it was the likelihood with each passing moment that he might be late for another important engagement with a certain blond-haired woman whose wrath would be far worse than anything the NYPD or federal government could dish out if he wasn't present and accounted for on time.

Eddie was due for her 12-week prenatal appointment with her OBGYN back in Brooklyn near their home in Bay Ridge in exactly thirty-five minutes, and Jamie was quite certain he would leave both of his children fatherless if he missed it. The first detailed ultrasound for the baby was scheduled for today, and his wife had already texted him twice to complain about the amount of water she was asked to drink beforehand. He did not dare be late and make her wait any longer than necessary, especially with the nervous butterflies they both felt after the tragic events of the previous summer when Eddie had lost an early pregnancy. Although that experience ultimately led to the adoption of their beautiful three-year-old daughter, Kaylin, it was never far from their minds as the couple collectively held their breath until she passed the first trimester mark. This time everything had looked perfect to this point, and while Eddie had not been thrilled with the morning sickness she had suffered through the last eight weeks, it did comfort her to know that it indicated everything was rolling along according to plan this time.

The second the Deputy Chief concluded his presentation, Jamie had gathered his files and was rushing down to the elevator, pulling on his jacket and fishing for his keys. "Please God, don't let there be traffic today," he prayed as he quickly drove south to St. Victor's, their local hospital. He hastily parked and half-jogged through the chilly winter air as made his way into the building and up to suite 306 where he found his wife nervously flipping through a magazine in the waiting room. She smirked as she glanced up when he sauntered in with about three minutes to spare, looking nonchalant.

"So lucky, Reagan," she remarked with a smile and small shake of her head.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, lambchop," he said with a straight face as he slid carefully into the chair next to her, determined to keep his breathing controlled so she wouldn't know he had just taken three flights of steps in double time rather than wait for the elevator.

"Lights and siren?"

His resolve broke as a broad grin spread across his face. She knew him so well. "Not today," he admitted, "I brought my car, but it was tempting to grab an unmarked from the motor pool instead."

Eddie let out a nervous sigh as she glanced up at the reception desk. "I wish they would call us back already. Don't they know what a bad idea it is to force a pregnant woman to drink a huge amount of water then make them sit here? There's gonna be a flash flood soon if we don't get a move on it," she griped.

Jamie looked around the room to the three other women that were obviously much further along than his wife, who was barely showing to this point. He couldn't imagine they were ever comfortable, given the size of their protruding bellies and the way they were all constantly shifting in their seats. "I'm guessing they've heard that before, Ed," he said while trying to picture his wife in that condition in just a few short months. He gave a hard swallow and anxiously loosened his tie a little at the thought.

"Don't you even go there," she remarked as she followed his gaze. "It won't be pretty at that point. I promise you."

"Ed-it Reagan?" a voice called from the doorway. Jamie grinned as Eddie flinched at the common mispronunciation of her name. It never failed to irk her to the ninth degree, and the fact that Jamie enjoyed every single time it happened had her primed for retaliation.

"Ed-eet," she corrected as she stood up to follow the nurse who was also obviously pregnant and dressed in an obnoxiously loud smiley faces yellow and blue scrub top. _Good lord,_ she thought to herself, _after how many of these does something like that become acceptable to wear in public?_ "This kid's going to be named Bob or Sue," she muttered to her husband. "I will not inflict this kind of torture on my child."

Jamie just smiled as he followed her back to the exam room, stopping along the way to have a few measurements taken. He could tell Eddie was on edge by her reactions and the significant roll of the eyes she gave when her weight and height was recorded after she quickly kicked off her shoes. He did his best to remain completely neutral in every thought and action, so as not to paint any kind of target on his back that she would focus on in her stress. That was until the nurse burst his bubble after reading the chart.

"Edit and Jamison, I am assuming?" she asked as they sat down in the exam room and she began to take Eddie's blood pressure reading. "Two very unique first names, any significance?"

"I was named after my Hungarian grandmother," Eddie replied with a self-righteous smile. "It means wealth and fortune. You can just call me Eddie though. What about you, dear?" she asked sweetly.

Evil, Jamie thought. She's just pure evil sometimes. "Oh, uh, I was named after an empty Irish Whiskey bottle my parents kept in the liquor cabinet," Jamie admitted with some embarrassment. "Think it probably had a lot to do with me being conceived that night, knowing my father," he muttered under his breath. "Jamie is fine," he added out loud. As old as he was, he was sure that he would never live that one down. To top it off, he had been born rather unexpectedly nearly a month early, and his nervous father had misspelled his name on the hospital records. Jameson Irish Whiskey was well-known worldwide, but Jamison with an 'i', not so much, although there were alcoholic chocolate truffles with that name. Maybe it had been his mother's craving that proved to be the inspiration instead. Bob and Sue were beginning to sound like good options at this point though if he were to follow tradition this kid would have to be named after the tequila shooters he and Eddie had downed at the bar on their much anticipated date night when Kaylin had slept over at her Grandpa's house for the first time. Good times, he thought, good times.

"Okay, Jamie it is," the cheerful nurse replied. "Eddie, you can go ahead and hop up there on the exam table since you wore some loose fitting clothes," she said as she eyed his wife's favorite yoga pants that were just starting to get tighter. "You'll just have to pull those down a bit and lift your top for the sonogram. When you're done with that we'll send you over for blood work, and Dr. Geisner will meet you in her office to review everything with you. Candy will be your sonographer today; she'll be here in just a few minutes. Try to relax until then," she said as she left the room.

"Candy Reagan," Eddie offered in a sing-song voice after the door closed. "Not a chance. Sounds like that stripper we arrested in Washington Square Park my rookie year. With our luck she'd probably grow up and marry someone named Ricky Cane. Then she'd be a Candy Cane," she snorted.

"Eddie," Jamie sighed, this type of thing had been going on for weeks now. "If you would agree to finding out the sex you would only have to obsess on one set of names. Besides, Candy and Kaylin sounds kind of cute together… alliteration is big now for siblings you know."

"Alliteration, that's what you're worried about, _Harvard,_ " she scoffed. "And there's no way we are finding out the sex of this child before they present it to the world themselves. They can't usually see that at this appointment anyway, and it's like the best Christmas present you could ever wish for! I'm not going to spoil it when I'll need something to focus on through labor and those months where I look like those other women in the waiting room. I've already had to give up patrol," she whined. Yesterday had been her last official tour before being transferred to desk duty in the personnel department at 1PP starting Monday. Renzulli had tried to keep her at the 12th, but finally conceded to her wishes. Jamie had left the timing up to his wife, and while she still felt physically able to do the job, she knew it was only a matter of weeks before it was necessary. His upcoming travel schedule made it more practical for her to switch to a regular shift sooner than later so that Kaylin stayed on a more fixed timetable. Today, she had been left in Henry's charge since Eddie was only supposed to be away for a few hours. As much as he loved the little girl, she was a bit too active for him to be the primary babysitter all the time so they utilized the daycare at the corporate office when needed.

Jamie relented and backed off the sex question for now. He knew he had a few weeks to work on getting Eddie to change her mind before it was really relevant anyway. He couldn't imagine waiting seven more months to know if they were having another girl or a boy. His family would never understand her reasoning, and frankly, this name preoccupation banter would drive him nuts long before then. He had to come up with a compelling plan. In the meantime he was amusing himself by spinning around on the stool like a little schoolboy. Eddie was watching him in growing frustration as she was finding herself increasingly uncomfortable as each minute passed.

"Reagan, please," she finally broke in. "Between you going around in circles, and me feeling like I'm going to float away... I'm getting seasick."

His feet came down flat on the floor and he stopped the motion with a twinkle in his eyes just as there was a soft knock on the door, and a technician with a nameplate of "C. Barr" entered the room. Jamie silently sucked in a breath with wide eyes as he waited for his wife to take notice. Surely in her current state this was going to cause some type of unintended reaction. He almost wept for joy when the tech introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Christine. Candice is tied up with another patient right now so I will be performing your scan this afternoon. Just give me a second to set up and we'll get started," she offered in a friendly voice.

 _Strike Candy off the list,_ he thought in relief.

Christine had Eddie lay back and prepped her belly with some cold gel. Jamie rolled his stool over to the side and the two were soon enthralled at the first sight of their unborn child who was actively moving around.

"Oh my God," Eddie breathed. "So amazing... look at that, Jamie! It's our baby!" she whispered excitedly as they watched tiny arms and legs moving. He was speechless and could not take his eyes away from the screen.

"Is this your first pregnancy?" Christine asked. "I apologize but I didn't get a chance to review your chart fully."

"No, um, well we lost one at seven weeks last June," Eddie admitted sadly.

"I'm so sorry," Christine said. "That explains the level of detail your doctor has ordered. I'm just going to check some baseline measurements which will help assess the baby's risk of having complications such as chromosomal abnormalities or major congenital heart problems. We do this by checking the clear space in the tissue at the back of the baby's neck," she paused for a few moments as she clicked and assessed. "Everything looks normal," she assured. "This is a very active child," she added with a smile. "You'll have your hands full."

"We already have one like that at home," Jamie replied. "Um, we have an adopted three-year-old daughter," he explained when he saw the tech's puzzled look.

"Oh how nice," she said as she continued her work. "And here is the heart... a solid 150 beats per minute is perfect." Eddie was beaming from ear to ear as she squeezed Jamie's hand, her own discomfort forgotten. They had made it to twelve weeks and nearly the start of the second trimester. The odds of anything happening beyond this point were drastically reduced.

"I see that your chart notes you do not want to know the sex so we'll stop there before we ruin the surprise," Christine explained with a smile as she put the equipment down and helped Eddie to wipe up the excess gel. "Not too many people have the discipline to go that route anymore."

Jamie couldn't help but feel a little disappointed by that but he was still elated to hear everything else looked healthy. That definitely eased his mind regarding his impending trip out of state the following morning. He reached over and gave Eddie a quick kiss on the forehead. "That was amazing, Eddie," he smiled. "I love you."

Christine pulled a green bracelet with the practice's logo from the machine with a USB drive attached and handed it to Eddie. "Here are some photos and a video for you to share with your family. Just bring this back to all of your appointments and we'll load shots from each session on there for you. This is your paperwork. The nurse will be back in a few minutes to show you where to go for your blood work and then you will meet the doctor in her office." She smiled and added before she left, "I'm sure you need a few minutes to use the restroom in the hall. Every new mom we have complains about that."

Jamie and Eddie were still chatting happily about the ultrasound as they were directed through the blood draw and into Dr. Geisner's office. She greeted them with a warm smile.

"Mr. and Mrs. Reagan, so good to see you again," she started as she scanned through the chart. "I've looked through the results from the ultrasound and it appears that everything is looking very good at this time. We did not note any obvious problems and everything else is well within the normal ranges." She had been on call the day Eddie had been brought into the ER with the miscarriage and had seen them through the remainder of that sad event. Eddie had trusted the kind doctor, so when she discovered she was pregnant again there had been no question in her mind which practice she would call. "I'm so happy for you. I understand the nurse talked to both of you about what to expect this next month until we see you again at sixteen weeks. The results of your blood screening will be available then. Of course if we spot any problems before that we will be giving you a call. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Not really," Eddie admitted with relief. She had been avidly researching prenatal topics, but was not one to jump to all kinds of conclusions over everything she read. She just liked to be well informed. "I am hoping that the morning sickness lets up soon, although in my case it seems more like afternoon sickness. Mine comes around lunchtime."

"For most women it will ease up," the doctor assured. "A small percentage will continue to have symptoms throughout the pregnancy." She continued reading. "I see that you've both had your flu shot. That is excellent. That being said, with this being the start of winter I will caution you to be careful about avoiding exposure to people who are actively sick with flu as the shot does not cover all strains. Because of changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs pregnant women are among the most susceptible for complications, along with young children and the elderly."

"I'm switching to desk duty this coming week," Eddie told her. "So I will have less contact with the public. We have a three-year-old in daycare, though."

"Well, I'm not advising that you move into a bubble," the doctor laughed. "Just be sensible about unnecessary exposure, practice good hand washing skills and certainly, if you have any questions do not hesitate to call the office. Take care and we'll see you again in four weeks." She smiled as she stood up to shake their hands as they left the office.

Jamie grabbed Eddie's left hand as they were walking down the hall and brought it up so he could kiss her wedding ring. "You ready for this?" he nodded at the window of the waiting room as they passed. Four more anxious moms-to-be were in the seats.

"I think it's a little too late to ask that question," Eddie grinned. "I mean we haven't even had our first anniversary yet, Reagan, and we've already moved into a new house, adopted a toddler and are working on another."

"I guess I was always an overachiever," Jamie laughed. "Never a dull moment, right?... but I wouldn't have it any other way, Janko," he added quickly, and then paused to smile as they walked into the elevator. The doors closed. "You gonna be okay alone with Kaylin for the next few days then?" He asked as he hit the button for the ground floor. "I mean it's like your first extended girls-only mommy and me time."

"I'll be fine, Jamie," Eddie assured. "I'm off of work until Monday and Pop is just a couple of blocks away. Plus Linda invited us over on Friday for dinner. We won't even miss you," she added cheekily as she glanced over at him.

"Oh, you'll miss me," Jamie said as he grabbed her jacket and pulled her close. The smell of her shampoo and the vanilla body spray she had used was intoxicating. He had never been around someone who could send him from zero to sixty with a little sideways look. "Maybe we can plan a little Jamie and me time tonight after Kaylin is in bed, Mrs. Reagan," he added suggestively, nuzzling her cheek.

"Maybe we can be a little late in picking Kaylin up at your dad's instead," she countered with her eyes sparkling. "It's her nap time now anyway, you know..." The elevator doors opened. "I'm parked up that way. I bet I'll beat you home. I'm thinking that a nice warm tub would feel good after running around in this cold weather all afternoon. See ya, Reagan," she smirked as she walked up the sidewalk and gave him an over the shoulder wave.

"Damn," Jamie breathed as he watched her go. "You'll see me. Count on it."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Eddie, have you seen the charger for my laptop?" Jamie yelled up the steps. It was five-thirty in the morning and he had meant to have all of his things packed the night before, but had been a little distracted by another round of Jamie and me time late in the evening. Eddie's libido had been on overdrive the last week or so, one of the happy side effects of her pregnancy, and her husband wasn't complaining one bit. His father was due to pick him up in fifteen minutes for the drive to the airport though, so he was rushing around hastily packing a few forgotten items.

"It's in the den on your desk," she replied back as she made her way down the steps carrying Kaylin with her soft blanket and ducky yellow footie pajamas. Normally she would have been annoyed with the fact that Jamie's rooting around had woken their daughter before her regular time, but she knew he would want to say goodbye to both of them since he wasn't due to return from D.C. until late Friday night. The two had all day to nap and make up for it anyway.

"Kaylin, sweetheart, why don't you go watch by the window and let us know when Grandpa is here, okay? I need to help your daddy get ready," Eddie said as she set the toddler down. "Jamie, wait!" she snagged him as he dashed into the kitchen. "Your tie is crooked. Let me fix it, please," she smiled as her hands caressed his chest, causing an immediate blush to rise on his cheeks, before she quickly pulled and rearranged the silk fabric. "There, I can't have you getting on a plane with your father and the mayor and his staff looking frumpy, can I? You'll need your heavy coat too, I heard there's a chance of bad weather coming up the coast at the end of the week."

"Jesus, Eddie," he whispered as he put his hands on both sides of her head and pulled her in for a deep kiss, their lips crashing together. "You're making it really hard for me to leave right now," he moaned as he leaned his forehead into hers. "Promise me you'll still be like this when I get home. I swear I'll walk back from Washington if I have to."

"Go," she laughed. "Be a hotshot liaison with the FBI for a few days. I'll be waiting. I promise. Now grab your coat before you forget."

"Okay," he sighed as he walked to the front closet to pull out his warm overcoat, nearly tripping over Bear, the cat who was making a beeline through the living room, "but I'm going to hold you to that, Janko."

"Daddy, Daddy!" Kaylin cried out excitedly as she ran to the door, "Grandpa's here with the batmobile!"

"Jamison Reagan!" Eddie scolded from the kitchen where she was pouring coffee into a travel mug. "You can't have your little girl running around telling all her friends at 1PP's daycare that her Grandpa rides around the city in the batmobile."

"But he does, isn't that right, Kaylin?" he said as he scooped the little girl up while he unlocked the front door for his father, making her giggle as he touched all of her ticklish spots. "Daddy's going to miss you for the next couple of days. You be good for your momma, okay? And I promise I will call you every night and tell you a good night story if I can. I love you sweetness."

"Love you more, Daddy," she replied back with a kiss.

"Hey, there's my girl," Frank smiled as he came through the door. "How about a kiss and a hug for your old Grandpa too?" he asked as he reached over to take the little one from Jamie. "You about ready, son? Our flight leaves at seven-thirty." He paused to observe his youngest and smirked, "You look a little tired this morning."

Jamie almost choked as the bright red blush returned, there was never getting anything past his father. "Yeah, all set, Dad," he grinned as he threw his coat over his arm and grabbed his bags. "I'm fine. Thanks, Ed," he said as he took the mug and gave her a final kiss goodbye. "Love you. I'll see you Friday night. Don't be afraid to call Pop or Danny if you need anything while I'm gone."

"Bye Eddie," Frank called as he set Kaylin down and watched her scoot over to her mother. "I'll have him back to you as soon as I can."

"Have a good trip, Frank," she smiled as she called after them while they were making their way down the sidewalk. She waved as the SUV drove off, then turned around and picked up her daughter, shooing Bear back away from the door with her foot. "C'mon baby, let's go make some breakfast... just us girls."

"But Mommy," a tiny voice was heard, "isn't Bear a boy cat?"

Eddie just sighed. There was never getting anything past that little girl.

###

United Commutair flight 119 had been completely reserved to ferry personnel from the NYPD and the mayor's office directly from Newark to Washington for multiple conferences taking place within the city. Frank and his staff were slated to attend two events designated for the commissioners of major metropolitan areas while the mayor had been called to testify before Congress on matters of Homeland Security. Jamie, on the other hand, had agreed to meet with his counterparts at the FBI regarding an upcoming operation targeting an illegal arms dealer that the bureau was planning within the New York City limits. It was his responsibility to coordinate the NYPD resources required to provide cover for the FBI officers, and to make sure his officers were well-versed in the legal requirements needed to make the intended charges stick. Frank had asked to sit in on the last day of his meetings on Friday so he could keep tabs on the mission from his office. A return flight had been booked for late Friday evening.

The small prop plane taxied down the runway on schedule for a brief ninety-minute flight to the Capitol. Space was a bit tight in the cabin, and Jamie found himself sitting next to one of the secretaries from the mayor's office, who had enthusiastically introduced herself as Anne Wheeler before she noticed his wedding band. At that point, she sat back and occupied herself by sniffling and coughing throughout much of the time, leaving Jamie wishing he had remembered to pack some sanitizing wipes, especially after a particularly ill-timed sneeze sprayed his laptop keyboard. She assured him it was just allergies, the only time she acted this way was around cats. He smiled politely at her apology, but rolled his eyes when he reached down to close the computer and slip it back into his bag. He spent the rest of the flight contemplating how to disinfect it while his father and his assistant, Detective Abigail Baker, carried on with their normal business in the seats directly in front of his row.

The entire contingent was chauffeured to the same hotel after landing and Jamie gratefully checked in, finding himself in a room just a few doors down from his father. He immediately jumped into the shower, hoping to rid himself of Anne Wheeler's supposed allergy germs. The last thing he needed was to come home from this trip with a cold as he was very much looking forward to round three with Eddie upon his return. Afterwards, he called his FBI contact and confirmed their afternoon meeting schedule. With a few hours to spare before it was necessary to leave, he made his way down to the hotel restaurant to get an early lunch.

"Jamie, come join us," his father called from the table where he was sitting with Baker and DCPI Garrett Moore, who had arrived the day before to take care of some other business before rejoining the Commissioner's team.

"Good to see you, Garrett," Jamie said as he slid into the seat next to him. He eyed what Baker was having, also ordering a Caesar salad and an iced tea when the waitress came by.

Moore's phone buzzed with a text message, and his brow wrinkled in concern when he read it. "Have you been following the forecast, Frank?" he asked. "The weather models now have that storm coming up the coast turning into a major nor'easter with impact on Long Island Saturday afternoon. Predictions are calling for up to twenty inches of snow and freezing rain. It'll be a disaster."

"It's early in the season and that's still three days away, Garrett," Frank commented. "But call Emergency Resources and make sure storm preparations are started. Have all the precincts go on code white alert so the RMPs and the patrol officers are outfitted in advance. Confirm our return flight stays on schedule. You know how the airports get when this kind of thing happens. I don't want to be stuck down here while we go into a state of emergency back at home."

"Got it, boss," Garrett said as he made notes in his schedule. "I'll go make those calls now," he said as he excused himself from the table.

Frank turned to Jamie, "You should try to bump up that Friday meeting time, son. We might have to bug out of here earlier than expected."

"Agent Reeves offered to meet over a late dinner tomorrow night, if that's okay for you, Dad," Jamie stated as his food arrived and he started eating.

"Yes, let's plan on doing that," Frank agreed. "Work out the details with Baker. I have some calls to make before we leave for the conference. I'll be back in my room. Stay here and finish your lunch, Abigail," he added as he took his leave. He hated the unpredictable nature of these early season storms.

"So how is Eddie doing with her transition to desk duty?" Baker asked Jamie, as they were the only two left at the table now. "I saw that she's transferring into personnel on Monday."

"Oh, she thinks it's a little early for her to come off the street, but she knew I would be busy the next few weeks and we wanted to keep Kaylin on a good schedule, so it was easier if she made the move now," Jamie offered. Abigail Baker was always easy to talk to when she wasn't charged with keeping his father's schedule in line. Without fail, she was controlled and ordered no matter the situation. Even now, Jamie could see she was hurrying to finish her lunch so she could rejoin the Commissioner's team.

"I admire the two of you for being able to keep everything together so smoothly," she laughed. "What with the new job, house and now another baby coming. Your father thinks Kaylin is a little whirlwind. He truly lights up when he speaks of her. I'm really happy for you all," she said as she pushed her plate back and gathered her things. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get up there before Garrett completely revamps our itinerary." Jamie smiled as she hurried off. He wondered what his father would ever do without her.

* * *

 _Things really get rolling with tomorrow's chapter! Who comes back to threaten Jamie and what do they want this time?_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The rest of Jamie's afternoon went smoothly. He took a taxi to the FBI's offices and spent a few hours with Agent Reeves reviewing the upcoming operation. The two were familiar with each other, having worked closely on the Denison corruption scandal in the NYPD legal division the year before. Jamie was comfortable with the parameters Reeves was setting and he decided it would be best if he requested two detectives out of the 5-4 to be brought into the case since they were familiar with the Brooklyn South area the main part of the op was taking place in. He knew that would most likely mean that his brother Danny and partner Maria Baez would be involved, as they were the top pair in the division, but he figured he would be able to persuade his brother to play nice with the feds given the size and scope of the action and his father's close involvement. Danny might not appreciate taking orders from his little brother or the FBI, but he was more likely to comply if he knew Frank was standing behind them.

His work finished for the day, Jamie decided to enjoy the evening and walk around the city a bit so he had the cab drop him off a few blocks away from the hotel. He pulled his coat closed against the frigid winter air as he stepped out of the car, grateful that Eddie had reminded him to bring it along. It was certainly cold enough for a major snow event, and he was feeling quite chilled all of a sudden. He spent the next hour or so visiting some shops along his walk and purchasing a few souvenirs and Christmas presents for Eddie and Kaylin. He reminded himself that they needed to go pick out and decorate a tree when he returned home. That wasn't something he had ever had to do for his own home before. They had been so focused on Eddie's appointment this week that it had completely slipped his mind. He smiled as he thought about what a fun holiday was in store. Who would have ever pictured Jamie Reagan with a pregnant wife, daughter, house and cat at this time last year. Well, maybe the wife, he chuckled as he thought about all the background planning that had been going on at this time for the surprise wedding, but certainly not the rest of it. His family had really come through in spades for him there. He never would have pulled that off without their help.

Feeling a bit tired now, Jamie decided to head back to the hotel. He made one final stop at a drugstore to pick up a pack of antacids and cold medicine as his stomach had started rolling a bit. Damn that Anne Wheeler and her "allergies" he thought. So help her if this ruined his weekend plans with his wife. He promised he would hunt her down and in some way shape or form unleash Bear on her if she was really allergic to cats.

As he crossed the street at the intersection next to the hotel, Jamie's sixth sense suddenly fired, and he snapped his eyes over at the driver of the car on the opposite side of the street. The light turned green and the man immediately gunned the engine and shot through the crosswalk, barely missing Jamie as he hurried out of the way and up on the curb. "SHIT!" he gasped as he turned with wide eyes and watched the car blow through the next light and on down the street in a cloud of exhaust. His heart was racing and he could barely catch his breath. What had stunned him the most, beyond the fact that it was a blue 71 Chevelle SS, identical to the one he had inherited from Joe after his brother had died and his father decided to pass the car on to him, was the familiar outline of the driver as he sped past. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn that... well no, _that was impossible,_ he told himself as he looked around once more and forced his shaky knees to move and walk towards the hotel entrance. "Get a grip, Reagan," he muttered. "It was just the shock of seeing a car like that again." His own beloved Chevelle had been totalled years ago when he was a rookie and he'd been forced to run into a concrete barrier by the river when the brake lines were cut after he'd been targeted by the Blue Templar, the group that been responsible for his brother's death. With no funds to restore it from the heavy damage it suffered, he had been forced to sell it at auction for parts.

Still feeling completely unhinged, he couldn't help but turn around and nervously scan the street behind him before making his way into the hotel and over to the elevator. Detective Baker was also standing there waiting for the doors to open, and he was surprised to find her white as a sheet and looking unwell herself as she stepped inside and turned around.

"Baker, are you okay?" he managed to squeak out as he struggled to calm himself down.

"No, ah... I haven't been feeling well all evening," she admitted, barely glancing at him. When she did she was shocked at his pale complexion. "You don't look very good yourself, Jamie," she said and then focused straight ahead again, fighting to keep her composure.

"Yeah," he agreed as he took a deep breath. "Looks like we're all coming down with something; Typhoid Annie on the plane and all. Guess we're doomed," he said with a deep sigh. "Hope you feel better," he called after her as the doors opened and she hurried off down the hall towards her room without another word.

Not feeling quite as bad as Baker looked, Jamie decided to check in with his father before he turned in. He nodded to the detail posted outside and was not surprised to see Frank sitting in his suite reading the evening paper as he made his way into the room.

"Hey, Dad," he said, greeting him a little weakly.

Frank glanced up and shook his head. "Not you, too," he muttered. "That makes five including Baker. Do you feel as bad as you look?"

Jamie really didn't want to bring up his freak near miss with the car outside, as he knew that had contributed the most to his current state... because on the whole he was just a little off and felt nowhere near as bad as Baker appeared to be. "No, um, my stomach is just a little queasy," he admitted as he sat down on the couch. "Five, huh? Any idea of what it is? How are you?" He was really praying that Frank wouldn't say it was the flu, as he and Eddie had just had that extended conversation with Dr. Geisner the day before, and he knew he could not expose his wife or Kaylin to it. Crap. There went his plans for the weekend, he thought. He couldn't even sit at home wrapped up on the couch and look pitiful while Eddie brought him chicken soup or anything.

"I'm fine," Frank confirmed. "You, Baker, and three more women from the mayor's staff. All of them look worse than you at this point." He leaned forward and picked up his phone. "I'm calling the hospital and getting an infectious specialist over here tomorrow to figure out what this is. I've got to get a hold of it before it wipes out the entire staff, and to top it off that damn nor'easter is picking up speed and looking to hit early Saturday morning now. We've all got to get back to the city before that or we'll be stranded here for a week."

"Ah, Dad, this sucks," Jamie admitted as he laid his head back against the cushion. "Maybe it's just a 24-hour bug," he added hopefully as he stared at the ceiling. He knew he was about to become a pincushion again. Doctors always loved those damn blood draws. Ugh, and probably other wretched tests he'd rather not think about as well. He shuddered at the thought. This evening just kept getting better and better. He stood up and gave his father a small wave. "If you want me I'll be back in my room. I'm going to shower, and I promised Kaylin I would read her a story tonight before she went to sleep."

"Let me know if you need anything, Jamie," his father called after him.

Another good hot shower had Jamie feeling almost back up to par as he sat down and pulled out his laptop, carefully wiping it down before turning it on and starting a video call with Eddie. He smiled as he saw Kaylin jumping up and down excitedly in the background, while his wife, on the other hand, looked like she was ready for a nap as she slumped in front of the screen.

"Hey, babe," he smiled, "how was your day?"

"Just ducky," she replied. Kaylin's latest obsession had been over ducks, in all shapes and forms, hence the new jammies and a collection of about twenty little story books because no one could resist picking up a new one for her at every checkout line in the city. Jamie didn't want to admit to Eddie that he'd bought a few more during his evening shopping spree. "How are things there?" she asked.

"Less than ducky," he admitted. He saw Eddie's eyebrow raise in concern and then quickly explained about Anne on the plane and now the mysterious illness befalling the staff.

"You don't look too bad," she said as she squinted at the screen.

"I'm not," he assured. "Baker looked like the walking dead though when I saw her earlier. I guess the three others are about the same. Dad's having a doctor come over from the hospital tomorrow to figure out what it is. He's concerned about us all getting stuck down here with the bad weather coming in on Saturday."

"So you and four other women?" Eddie asked. "Better check the rabbit food first."

Jamie sat back and stared at the screen. Food poisoning. Maybe Typhoid Annie was telling the truth about her allergies. He and Baker had both had a salad for lunch. "Damn, you're smart, Ed," Jamie replied. "You'd make a great detective. I'll tell dad to have them check that out."

"Don't remind me about that when I'm sitting in personnel rubber stamping checks," she groaned. Between the kids and her new last name, there was almost no chance of her earning a promotion to that grade for a while.

"I know," he sympathized. "I guess I'd better go ahead and read Kaylin her story before I forget. Maybe she'll fall asleep and you can get some rest. You look tired."

"Just spent a busy day running around trying to get some things done before this stupid storm comes," she admitted. "I mean we didn't have anything like shovels or salt on hand and all that stuff's been stripped out of the stores already. I had to borrow some from Pop and Danny. I'm gonna hit the grocery store tomorrow morning early and just get some basics to keep Kaylin happy. I can't go after lunchtime or I'll be heaving over a garbage can all afternoon."

"Janko, under no circumstances are you to lift one snowflake with a shovel," Jamie warned, kicking himself for not thinking of this earlier.

"I won't," she promised, knowing that would drive him absolutely crazy. "But Pop's by himself too. You know how he likes to overdo it. You and your dad better get back before this thing hits."

"That's the plan," Jamie replied. "Now let's get sweetness ready for her new ducky story."

"Oh, God, Jamie… you didn't!"

###

Alone in his room, Jamie grew more restless during his sleep that night as the hours went by. His distress culminated with a nightmare that had him moaning and sitting bolt upright in bed at 2:46, sweating profusely and clutching his stomach. "Ah, DAMN IT!" he cried as he stumbled over the furniture in his haste to get to the bathroom which he did just in time to retch violently into the toilet. His shirt was soaked through with sweat by the time he was finished and rinsed his mouth, and he had no doubt he now looked just as bad as everyone else who had come down with this illness. He slumped down and stayed there on the tile floor for some time, unwilling to close his eyes again... afraid to even blink after _that_ dream had left fear ripping through his heart.

 _He had been asleep in bed at the house on a winter's night only to wake up and feel a cold, icy draft tickling his bare back. Eddie was nowhere to be found and Kaylin was not in her bed. Concerned that the furnace was off, he had made his way down the steps to find the front door wide open and snow drifting into the entryway. His heart clenched when he saw a single set of small footprints wandering out of the home, across the porch and down steps. Running out into the cold night in bare feet screaming for Kaylin, he caught sight of her in the middle of the empty street in her cherished ducky footie jammies, clutching her blanket as she stood eerily still, staring forward while she was illuminated by the headlights of a blue 71 Chevelle idling a hundred feet away; its exhaust sending a curtain of smoke across the yard. Jamie had watched in horror, glued to the ground and unable to move, as the driver grinned while he gunned the motor and the car raced towards his helpless child… seemingly intent on mowing her down in cold blood… until at the last possible second…_

He woke up.

Jamie's hands were still trembling as he covered his face and let out a sob. It had been so real, so vivid he could recall every last single detail of the scene, including the identity of the heartless bastard behind the wheel.

Joe. It was Joe.

He had witnessed his own beloved dead brother run down his precious, innocent daughter in the street with such cold calculation in the car that they had both poured their heart and souls into. Just as some crazy notion had made him imagine for a fraction of a second that it had been Joe at the wheel of the car this evening that had nearly clipped him in the crosswalk. The thought had Jamie reaching for the toilet again until he was dry heaving.

There would be no more sleep for him this night.


	4. Chapter 4

_An extra early posting today just for deborah!_

* * *

Chapter 4

Frank Reagan was nervously pounding on the door to his son's hotel room early Thursday morning. Jamie had not answered numerous calls or texts from his anxious father who was just about ready to send one of his men down to the desk for another key when he heard the door click open. He was stunned at the sight of his disheveled son as he followed him into the room and watched him collapse back down on the bed, pale and sweating.

"Christ," was all he could mutter.

"Yeah," was the only weak reply. Jamie figured that about summed it all up as he put his forearm across his eyes. The light hurt. Physically hurt. To be honest, every damn part of his body ached at this point, up to and including his eyelashes.

"When?"

"Somewhere around three this morning. Woke up with it and hasn't stopped since."

"Baker too, and nine others in the hotel now. Six from our flight in total. Eddie was right, it does seem to be food poisoning... everyone that's sick had some type of salad at lunch yesterday afternoon. A few of the women are looking dehydrated already. I have a Dr. Brenner coming from the local hospital any moment now to look at you."

"Good, if he can't stop this, then give him your sidearm and have him shoot me," Jamie moaned as his other hand came down to rest on his sore, clenched stomach. "It will be a mercy killing."

Frank gave a soft chuckle as he walked over to the bedside and sat down on a chair. "Can I get you anything, son? Water? Crackers or some toast?"

"God no, can't keep anything down… wait, my phone. I dropped it somewhere over there," he gestured weakly to the right side of the bed without uncovering his eyes. "I keep hearing it buzz, but I couldn't find it."

Frank searched through the covers thrown over the bedside before finding the device lodged between the wall and the nightstand. He scrolled through the lock screen noting several messages in addition to his earlier inquiries. "Eddie's been trying to reach you," he said, and then was startled when Jamie sat straight up in bed and gasped.

"Is everything okay?" he asked in a sudden panicked voice as his frightened eyes met Frank's. "What's wrong?" He quickly grabbed the phone and unlocked it, nearly hyperventilating before sighing in relief as he looked through the messages. Eddie had just been checking to see if he was feeling any better before she was off to the grocery store; there was no emergency. She was fine. The baby was fine. No one was injured or lying dead in the street. Kaylin was safely tucked in her yellow ducky jammies just as she should be. He sagged back down on the pillows, not really sure where all the panic welling up in him had come from. His heart was still racing though, and that dream continued to haunt him.

Frank was puzzled by Jamie's strong reaction, but he chalked it up to the distress of the situation, and any further thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door as Dr. Brenner from West Memorial Hospital and the state health officials arrived to investigate the suspected outbreak of foodborne illness.

"Commissioner," Dr. Brenner addressed Frank as he walked into the room. "I understand we have another patient here."

"Yes," Frank said as he stood up to shake the other man's hand. "This is my son, Jamison. He was feeling off last night, but he said his major symptoms started about three this morning."

"Consistent timetable with all the others," the doctor commented as he set his bag down and started to remove some items. "My colleagues from the state health department have taken samples from the kitchen and swabs from the others afflicted. All things are pointing to the packaged lettuce that was used in the salads yesterday. There have been other similar outbreaks in the region. These symptoms will probably last between one and ten days." He moved over to the bedside which elicited a small groan from the occupant. "Now, Jamison..."

"Jamie, please let's not be so formal, and for the love of God... _ten_ days?"

"Okay, Jamie," Dr. Brenner started again with a small smile as he leaned over and quickly took a temperature reading from his forehead. "With luck it usually runs its course before then. Well, you're at 102.5... that's pretty high. I take it you haven't been able to keep anything down since this started," he continued as he felt for Jamie's pulse and took out a stethoscope to listen to his heart. "Also quite high," he frowned as he looked up at Frank. "Does he have any pre-existing conditions?"

"He had a severe pneumonia and issues with an enlarged heart last year but that was cleared up," Frank confirmed with an uneasy feeling settling into his own stomach.

"Our biggest concern is dehydration," Doctor Brenner explained as he took a blood pressure reading. "98 over 65, and that's low. I've recommended we take two of the other patients to the hospital for IV fluids, including your assistant Detective Baker." He glanced down at Jamie. "With his history and these vitals, it looks like we have a third."

"No, uh uh, no way!" Jamie countered as he scooted up on the pillows shaking his head. "Not if I don't absolutely need to," he said as he looked at Frank. "I _have_ to get home to Eddie and Kaylin before this storm hits, Dad," he pleaded. "Please!" The sudden movement was too much for his weak stomach and he was forced to reach over and grab the waste can at the side of the bed, heaving up nothing of any substance.

Frank rubbed his face as he looked between his son and the doctor. "Take him," he said as he held his hand up as his youngest started to protest. "Jamie, I will figure out a way to get you and Baker home before tomorrow night. I can't leave her stranded here either. The whole department will shut down without Abigail at the helm," he smiled and turned back to the doctor. "Do you think they'll be able to fly tomorrow?"

"On a commercial flight? No way."

"I'll walk," Jamie said sullenly as he sank back and covered his eyes again. He had the chills now and was visibly shaking. "I told Eddie before... I left that I'd... walk home if I had to." He wasn't about to mention the real motivation for that statement because that had obviously flown out the window for the time being. Stupid. Freaking. Salad. So much for eating healthy.

"Eddie is his wife," Frank explained to the puzzled Dr. Brenner. "She's pregnant and they also have a three-year-old in a new house. He's worried about them, although he knows damn well his family would look after them if needed, now don't you, Jamie?" he said a little more sharply as he turned back to his son and pulled a blanket over the shivering boy. "We'll charter a copter and airlift the two of you if we have to. I have some favors I can call in. Garrett was able to get our scheduled flight moved up to noon. Everyone who is able to will get on that plane tomorrow, and the rest will be taken care of. The mayor can figure out a way to get his own people home."

"Okay," Dr. Brenner said as he gathered up his equipment. "The manager said the hotel shuttle will be available in about twenty minutes to take these three over to the hospital. We can pull some blood there to check his electrolyte levels. See if you can have him ready to go by that point. I'll have them ring the room."

Frank turned back to his son after the door closed. "All right," he said in his 'no nonsense, this is gonna get done with no questions' voice, "let's get you up and changed into something clean. I'll pack up all of your things and put them in my room for the time being."

"Dad, I..." Jamie started mournfully. Something deep inside him wanted to confide in his father... to run to him like he used to do as a small boy and tell him all about the car and the terrible dream that had plagued his night, so Frank would wrap him up in those rugged arms and make all the bad stuff go away, but he stopped. He was a grown man with a family now, and he was supposed to be the strong one. "I... have another long sleeved t-shirt and some sweatpants in my bag over there." He said as his teeth chattered and his stomach was rolling dangerously again while he stood up and took the items to the bathroom. "Please call Eddie and let her know I'll talk to her when I can."

###

Eddie was nearing the front of the checkout line at the grocery store when her phone rang. She had purposefully bundled Kaylin up as soon as she was awake and fed so they could get in and out of the 24-hour store early before the storm crowds descended and her daily "afternoon" sickness set in. She smiled when she saw Jamie's caller ID.

"Well, hellooo sexy," she answered seductively in a low voice as she took a few steps away from her daughter sitting in the cart. It was her intention to continue to wind Jamie up until he came home the following night. This shifting hormone thing was okay sometimes.

"Ahem, Eddie? Is that you? It's Frank."

Eddie grimaced and instantly turned bright red with embarrassment when she realized she was speaking to her father-in-law before the panic set in, and she wondered why exactly he had Jamie's phone. "Frank? What's wrong? Where's Jamie?" Kaylin's bright blue eyes were on her, sensing the tension in Eddie's voice.

"He's, um..." Frank winced as he listened to the sounds coming from the bathroom. "He, uh isn't feeling well this morning, and asked me to give you a call so you wouldn't worry that he hadn't answered you. I'm sorry, I thought you'd be more concerned if you saw it coming in from my phone."

"What's going on, Frank?" Eddie was nervously sensing there was more to come.

"It's food poisoning," her father-in-law confirmed. "You were right. Most likely the lettuce they used in the salad. There are at least eleven people ill here at the hotel. Jamie and Abigail Baker are two of the worst. We're going to run them over to the hospital with the shuttle so they can have an IV so they don't get dehydrated." He paused when he heard her breath hiss. "Now don't worry, sweetheart. The doctor was here and said it's just something that needs to run its course over the next few days."

"Frank..."

"I promise, Eddie," he assured. "I've cancelled his other appointments, and he'll call you later when he's up to it. He had a bit of a rough night." Frank had no idea of how accurate that statement was. "I'm looking into airlifting the two of them back to the city tomorrow if they can't make the regular flight. He'll be home by nightfall, one way or another... no worries. We're just about ready to leave the hotel now. I've got to get him ready to go."

"Okay... please just ask him to call when he can," Eddie conceded to his sincere tone as she pushed her cart forward towards the cashier. "Thanks for letting me know." She saw Kaylin's eyes light up as she spotted yet another little golden book with a soft yellow fuzzy duck on the front. She smiled as her daughter laughed in delight when she reached over and handed it to her.

"Don't tell your daddy about that one," she smirked as she hung up the phone and started putting her items on the conveyor belt. "He'll be home tomorrow, baby."

* * *

 _Thanks for the reviews, especially from my regular readers! Love you guys! Please remember to take a second to leave a note once in a while if you like someone's work. It helps to know that people are reading and enjoying the stories! Keeps me and everyone else motivated to write and post new material!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Schedule is changing for the next few weeks so trying a new evening posting time for a bit. Hope that's okay._

* * *

Chapter 5

"I hope you don't mind staying together for the day," the kindly older nurse commented as she wheeled Jamie into a double room with Detective Baker. "We're overbooked with flu cases and I thought it might make the time pass along more quickly if you had someone to talk to since you're both just in here for some hydration and monitoring. Commissioner Reagan said you two were acquainted before he left for his meeting."

"It's fine," Jamie sighed as she helped him out of the chair and onto the bed, "if that's okay with you, Abigail."

"I don't mind, Jamie," she forced a smile as her nurse was prepping her arm to draw blood and insert her IV. "I think someone could light me on fire right now and I wouldn't mind. No offense, I'm just really cold."

"None taken," he concurred as he slipped under the covers, "and I don't understand either why you feel like you're freezing when you're really burning up with a fever," he wondered out loud. "Like some kind of bizarre internal thermostat malfunction."

"That's actually the body's way of fighting infection, Mr. Reagan," his nurse replied as she got him settled. "Now you are going to be on a heart monitor since the doctor wanted us to keep an eye on that, and we're going to give you both some meds to reduce your nausea and help bring those fevers down so you should start to feel a bit better in a little while." She pulled the curtain halfway between them. "There, now you each have a bit of privacy. You're all set. Stay in bed, and I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you both. Don't be afraid to buzz if you need something."

"So what should we talk about?" Baker asked twenty minutes later in a tired, strained voice from the other side of the curtain. She had tried, but it was impossible to sleep with the commotion of the busy hospital wing around them and the pain from her awful aching joints. "I want this day to be over with as soon as humanly possible."

"I don't know," Jamie replied, equally ambivalent although the waves of queasiness seemed to be lessening. Maybe it hadn't been such a bad idea to come here after all. He had spoken to Eddie briefly when he arrived and assured her that he would be fine as soon as the nausea lifted. They planned to try to talk longer later. In the meantime maybe some distraction would help. "Tell me something about yourself that I don't know."

Abigail smiled despite her discomfort. She was very reserved at work and her private life was, well _very_ private, but Jamie was easy to talk to and not an office gossip. She decided to take a chance. "Just between us?... I got engaged last weekend."

"What? Are you serious? Congratulations!" Jamie tried to sound as enthusiastic as conditions allowed. It came off sounding at least halfway sincere. He thought back to their lunch yesterday. _That lunch._ He had taken a good look at Baker then. "Wait, you're not wearing a ring. What kind of tool asked you to marry him with no ring? Or is there a bigger secret? Who is this guy?"

"There's a ring," she admitted, "but there's a funny story about that... and the guy is Marc Walterson."

"Marc Walterson..." the name sounded so familiar to him. "Shut the front door! Not the placekicker from the Jets? THAT Marc Walterson? Where'd you meet him?"

"At one of your father's charity events last year," she admitted with a smile. "I was forced to take him down in the elevator when he tried to push his way in with the Commissioner and Senator Adams."

Jamie laughed for the first time all day. He could totally picture that. Abigail Baker was a damn fine detective in her own right. "Well, at least he's just a kicker and not a linesman... now where's the ring?" he prodded, pulling the covers off in a rush as now it felt like he was sitting in an oven.

"The 'tool' was so nervous about the whole thing he forgot to get it sized and it fell right off my hand as soon as soon as he gave it to me. We were walking through Central Park. It took us over an hour to find it in all the leaves, so it's back at the jewelers and he's in Denver playing the Broncos this week."

"Does my father know? 'Cause he's so going to give that guy the whole 'you better not hurt her or I'll hurt you' talk."

"Not yet," she smiled. She wouldn't put that past Frank Reagan, the man who had his own daughter tailed on her prom night. "What about you, Jamie? Tell me something I don't know about you."

"I don't know what you don't know anymore," he said wearily. The long night and wretched day were starting to catch up with him, and he felt like he could _almost_ shut his eyes and drift away without worrying about that damn dream coming back. "What's more interesting?... the fact that my daughter is obsessed with ducks, or my wife is obsessed with names for the new baby, but won't agree to find out the sex before it's born?"

"Ducks?"

"Yeah, makes Eddie nuts sometimes," he laughed softly. "Especially when I got Kaylin hooked on calling her afternoon snack... quackers... instead... of... crack..ers..." he trailed off.

"Jamie?"

Baker smiled and laid her head back against the pillow.

###

Frank Reagan was definitely feeling more harried than usual as he made his way down the hospital hallway and up to room 207 late Thursday afternoon. Schedule changes, rearranged meetings and multiple phone calls to secure helicopter transport for three back to New York City the following day had occupied most of his afternoon to this point, all on top of trying to stay abreast of the current storm track and preparations being made at home. It made him appreciate the fine job his assistant did each and every single day. Abigail Baker was the crux of his successful team, and without doubt deserved all the commendations that had been awarded to her... and more... he thought as he knocked softly and entered the room.

He glanced over at the first bed and was pleased to see that his son was deeply asleep despite the pained, feverish expression that remained on his face. Frank thought the boy certainly needed some rest after a rough night and deliberately chose not disturb him. Instead, he walked further into the room beyond the curtain divider and found Baker sitting up and scrolling through messages on her phone. She was definitely looking a bit better than the last time he saw her.

"Abigail," he interrupted softly. "Garrett and I... we've handled everything for today. Please put that thing down and get some rest."

"I was just checking some sports news," she said weakly as she laid her head back on the pillow.

"The Jets are in Denver tonight... nervous, hmm? Hope the game doesn't come down to the kicker." He smiled as she pursed her lips and gave a small smirk. "I'm the Police Commissioner, I know everything," he teased before adding, "at least Jamie's getting some sleep."

Her face grew serious. They obviously hadn't told him... he didn't seem to know about that. "Frank..." she started.

"What is it?" he asked worriedly, the tone in her voice was enough to disclose the fact that it was probably something he didn't want to hear.

"Jamie, he... well he had some kind of nightmare a few hours ago," Baker revealed. "He woke up screaming for Kaylin, and his heart rate went through the roof," she said softly as she thought back to those frightening minutes... of being jolted out of a restless sleep by the sound of the anguish in his voice and the shrill wail of the monitor alarms going off. "They've sedated him."

"Son of a…" Frank cursed under his breath, turning on his heel as he quickly drew the curtain back and looked carefully at his son. From all outward appearances Jamie appeared to be in a somewhat restful sleep. He thought back to his son's frightened overreaction to the text messages when he'd handed him the phone this morning... suddenly that made a lot more sense now. Jamie had always suffered from nightmares during stressful episodes in his life, starting with horrific night terrors when he was just a baby. Frank still remembered how he and his wife Mary and the rest of the family would be jolted out of bed in the middle of the night by the sound of terrified screams, only to find Jamie sitting up in his crib, eyes fully open but not awake, as he lived though whatever terrible dream was haunting him. The doctor had said it was caused by his brain being caught between a state of being awake and asleep. The only way to bring him out of it sometimes was to put him down on a blanket in the middle of the living room with the rest of the family curled up along the edges so he had room to roll safely around and fight against whatever demon was in his mind until he eventually settled. Joe always took those incidents the hardest; he didn't understand why nothing he did could comfort his baby brother. No child should experience fear like that. By the morning, Jamie would be back to his usual good-natured self with no memory of the night's events. Eventually he grew out of it for the most part, but bad dreams continued to plague him at times.

Frank walked over to his son's bedside and put a hand on his forehead; it was still somewhat warmer than it should be, but definitely a lot closer to normal than earlier. Jamie stirred just slightly under his touch but did not wake. His father was still standing there, contemplating the situation when Dr. Brenner walked into the room. The look on his face was enough to cue the doctor in on his displeasure at the situation.

"Commissioner," Dr. Brenner started, "I'm sorry that we didn't..."

"Contact me and let me know that something had happened to my son," Frank finished rather coldly. "I take it he will be staying here overnight now."

"Ah, yes sir. The sedative we gave him should wear off in another six hours or so. The stress of the illness, the dehydration and fever... all seem to have contributed to some sort of nightmare that triggered a panic attack type of event. With his history I thought it was safer to..."

"Drug him without permission," Frank interjected again. Baker flinched in the next bed. She could read her boss's tone better than anyone, and she knew this one was reserved for very few situations. "If you would have spoken to me, I could have told you that Jamie is very sensitive to any type of IV narcotic. We'll be lucky to wake him up in twelve hours. I have a helicopter scheduled to airlift him and Detective Baker back to the city at ten tomorrow morning and he better damn well be able to travel at that point."

"Yes, sir," Dr. Brenner replied with a hard swallow. Frank Reagan was imposing when he was in a good mood, and it was obvious that wasn't the case at the moment. "I'm sorry, that wasn't noted in his chart."

"Because he was only here for..." Frank started, then thought better and stopped himself. At this point there was nothing to be gained. "Never mind now. It's done. Just make sure he doesn't get anything else." He watched the doctor nod hurriedly before scurrying out of the room.

"Frank, I'm so sorry," Baker started behind him. "I was asleep and I couldn't see what was happening over there…"

"Abigail," he said with a smile as he turned back around. "Don't. This is not on you. It's just been... well, rather a train wreck kind of trip. Right now I'm almost happy to go home and deal with a natural disaster."

Frank stepped over and pushed Jamie's tray back out of the way. He picked up his son's phone and checked the screen as he sat down in the chair. Multiple missed recent calls from Eddie. He sighed and pulled out his own phone. He certainly wasn't going to make _that_ mistake again. She picked up on the first ring.

"Frank? How is he? Why isn't he calling me back?" Eddie sounded very nervous and upset. He could hear Kaylin wailing in the background.

"He's fine, Eddie; the doctor just gave him something to help him sleep. I'm right here with him. He's probably going to be out for most of the night. I don't want you to worry. I have a helicopter chartered for ten tomorrow morning to bring the three of us back to the city. Is Kaylin upset because he didn't read her a story? Can I do that for you?"

"No, well yes, but..." Eddie hesitated, she sounded close to tears if not there already. "Frank... Bear is missing. I don't know what's happened. He's not in the house. I've looked everywhere. I tried opening his treat bag... that _always_ makes him come running. He would climb through a brick wall for that, and he always meows when he hears it. He's not here, and he _never_ goes outside. _Ever._ Not even if the door is wide open. Kaylin is hysterical. He must have slipped out of the house this morning when I was bringing the groceries in from the car."

"Oh," Frank sat back. It broke his heart to hear his little granddaughter crying for her lost pet. "Well, damn." This day was certainly one for the record books. "Have you looked through the neighborhood? Maybe if you rattled the bag out there he would come back?"

"I just tried that," Eddie said sadly. "We walked around the whole block doing it but it's so cold out, Frank. I had to bring Kaylin back inside. Jamie's gonna be so upset with me when he hears about this. He loves Bear. What am I going to do?"

"Honey, these things happen. Cats are smart, they usually come back home. Animal control used to tell us to have people put their litter boxes out on the porch and it usually draws them in. How about putting up some posters? Maybe he's with the neighbors."

"I know, I already did all that," she sighed. Kaylin's voice had softened to quiet sobs. "Now she wants her daddy, Frank. What do I tell her? He's asleep and can't talk to her?" Eddie sounded a little angry now. He'd have to make it clear to her later that none of this was Jamie's idea.

"Eddie, I'll call Pop and have him come over for the night. Why don't you just get ready and go and pick him up in your car. He'll help you with Kaylin tonight, okay? Tomorrow when we all get back, we'll get this sorted, I promise, or he'll probably turn up on his own by then. Try not to worry, sweetheart. I'll even call the sergeant over at the 1-9 and ask him to alert the patrols in the area to keep watch. Bear's big enough to stand out from most other cats. We'll find him."

"Okay, Frank," Eddie conceded. "I'm sorry to sound so over emotional. I know I should be more worried about Jamie, it's just when Kaylin cries like that, I want to..."

"Be a good mom and fix it," Frank finished for her. "I understand completely. We've all been there. I'll talk to Pop, just go and pick him up and we'll get this worked out tomorrow, okay? Don't worry. And Jamie is fine. I promise. I'll talk to you later."

Frank sighed heavily as he hung up the phone.

"Another crisis to manage?" Baker's sympathetic voice drifted over from her bed.

"You have no idea, Abigail. No idea."

She just smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Hey. Wake up sleepyhead. C'mon, son. We've got to get a move on it and get you home."

Jamie heard the words and felt the familiar hands shaking his shoulder and lightly slapping his face, but he had absolutely no desire to respond. He was left wondering how the hell he had ended up with what felt like the worst hangover of his entire life. This even trumped the night that he and Eddie had found themselves at the bar with the tequila shooters, and well they both knew how that ended up.

Eddie. The baby. Kaylin.

Jamie's eyes shot open, and he blinked when he saw his father's face directly in his line of sight. "What the... what's happened to me?" he growled as he pushed himself up and grabbed his aching head. Nix the hangover, this was more like being mowed down by a tractor trailer... or a 71 Chevelle. "Where are we?" he demanded as his gaze fixed on Frank.

"Still at the hospital in Washington, but I've got a chopper coming in thirty minutes to take us home."

"Thirty minutes?" Jamie asked as he leaned back against the pillows, nothing was really making sense yet. "I thought you said we were flying out tomorrow?"

"It _is_ Friday, Jamie," Frank explained carefully. "Dr. Brenner gave you a sedative yesterday and you've been out like a light for more than fourteen hours. I was afraid I was going to have to cart you up to the helipad in a fireman's hold, and my knees aren't what they used to be, son."

"He what?... Why would he do that?!" Jamie asked angrily, rubbing his forehead. "I told you I didn't want to come here," he added. "I hate these places. Every damn, single..."

"You had a panic attack after another nightmare, Jamie," Frank said softly. "What is it this time?"

Jamie glanced back at his father. _Shit._ He was going to have to come somewhat clean about this now. His father could read him like a book. "Car accident," he said as he closed his eyes, hoping to leave it at that.

"You were screaming for Kaylin," his father prodded.

"She got out of the house and was standing in the street," he added sadly, praying that was enough detail. He couldn't bear going into the rest of it, not without having Brenner come in here and flatten him with some drugs again.

"Oh," Frank said as he paused. He didn't want to hear any more either. "That's, uh, well that's not going to happen, son. You and Eddie are fine parents. You're probably just feeling insecure or something like that with the new baby coming and being away."

"Yeah," Jamie agreed sadly. _That and having my murderous dead brother looking to off my family one at a time with the Chevelle,_ he grimaced and left that detail out. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, waiting until the room steadied. "Help me over to the bathroom, Dad. I wanna get cleaned up and go home, please? Let's just go home."

Frank agreed with that sentiment and decided to hold off on telling Jamie about Bear until their flight was over. He had spoken to Eddie earlier and explained about the nightmares. They both concurred that this was the best approach, especially with Jamie's current state of mind.

###

"Mommy!" Kaylin's shrill voice cut through the air. "Daddy's home!" the little girl cried from her perch by the window as the black SUV pulled up to the curb. She ran over to the front door and began tugging on it to open it.

"No, no, baby," Eddie scolded softly. "It's too cold outside. Just wait until he comes in, and remember Daddy's tummy is hurting so we have to be gentle, okay. No jumping on him." She watched with concern as Frank took her husband by the arm to steady him as he led his son up the steps while one of his men carried the bags. The helicopter ride back to the city had gone smoothly for the most part, and Baker was already settled in Manhattan at her mother's home. All that was left was to get Jamie into the house before Frank returned to his office to oversee the storm response.

Eddie and Kaylin both greeted him with a hug as he walked through the door. "Jesus," Eddie muttered as she held him. "You look awful."

"Gee, thanks," he quipped as he kissed her, and then picked Kaylin up to hold her tight, breathing in the smell of her hair and the baby shampoo they used in her bath.

"Bear went away, Daddy," she cried as she laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed. "I want him to come back home!"

"I know, baby girl," he said as he slipped out of his coat and made his way over to the couch to sit down and hold her. "Grandpa told me all about it. I just need to rest for a little while, and then I promise when I feel better I will go out and try to find him. Okay? I missed you so much, sweetness," he said as he slumped back and held her close. Eddie quickly got a blanket and covered the two of them up. Kaylin had her head down on Jamie's chest just like the day not so long ago when a tragedy had brought them all together. They were both breathing deeply in their grief and exhaustion, and not far away from drifting away to sleep together. Frank put a hand around Eddie's shoulder and gave her a squeeze as she wiped a tear away from her eye.

"I've got to run back to the office," he said softly. "I'll be by later on my way home. You let me know if you need anything. The doctor said he probably won't eat much the next day or two, but to make sure he's drinking, and to try to start him on some soup broth. I'll stop at the deli on 9th on my way back and pick some up for you."

"Thanks for bringing him back to us, Frank," she said with a sad smile. "I think they both have pretty much what they need right now."

###

"Jamie, hey," Eddie was shaking him as his eyes shot open again. Why did everyone feel the need to wake him up all of a sudden?

"What?"

"You can stay asleep," she said as she was prying his daughter out from under his arm. "I just need to take Kaylin up for her tub. I'm afraid we might be out of power tomorrow with the storm coming in tonight. Plus if I don't wake her up now she'll never sleep tonight."

"Okay," Jamie replied as his senses were coming back. "Wait, I should be helping you with that," he said rubbing his face as he sat up. "You're doing too much, Eddie."

"Seriously? 'Mr. Death Warmed Over' is telling me I'm doing too much," she just shook her head. "When's the last time you had something to eat? Wednesday, noon? More than two days ago. Stay down, Reagan, and drink something before I need to pick you up too. Your dad's bringing some good soup broth over in a little while. You need to get some of that in you."

Jamie sat back, listening to Eddie go up the steps with Kaylin and start the water running in the bathroom. He could hear the wind picking up outside as the storm front was approaching. Poor Bear was out there lost somewhere. "Oh, buddy," he muttered as he put his head in his hands, "why did you have to pick now to go on a walkabout?" Soon a small banging noise caught his attention. He tilted his head and tried to decipher its location. Bothered, he got up and walked across the room, narrowing in on the basement door. He paused as he opened it, flicking on the switch to illuminate the set of bare light bulbs down in the unfinished space. It was virtually untouched since they had moved in and was still crammed with much of the former owner Mrs. Peterson's hoarded cache. There just hadn't been time to go through it yet. Jamie was feeling a little lightheaded, but he decided to go down the steps anyway. The only thing they really kept down there was Bear's litter box, which Eddie had moved outside already in hopes he would find his way back home. There was a little kitty door by the steps that gave the cat free access to the space.

He carefully made his way downstairs with a firm grasp on the railing. Whatever was banging was definitely down here, and he zeroed in on a small cellar window on the south side of the house. He froze. It was unlocked and swinging slightly in the wind. _Unlocked._ Anyone could have crawled through there while he was gone and come into the house where his wife and daughter slept. Jamie broke out into a small sweat. That sixth sense was firing back up again. He was sure that he had secured all of these windows before they had even moved in. There was a small stack of nearby boxes, and he wondered if it was possible that was where Bear had escaped from. Upon close observation he was relieved to see the only tracks left on the dusty floor appeared to have been made by the cat. He quickly pushed the window shut and latched it tight, vowing to call his friend David over at TARU and hire him over a weekend to install a complete security system like the one that had saved his life back at the apartment when Denison broke in. That was going to be done before he left town again, without a doubt.

After making a cursory search of the rest of the space, just in case Bear was still there, he walked back upstairs, pausing to lock the basement door behind him while taking several deep breaths from the exertion as he steadied himself in the entryway. He grabbed a jacket from off of the rack and unlocked the front door, stepping onto the porch after he turned the outside light on. There was no sign of the cat, but the wind was gusting and the first few scattered snowflakes could be seen whipping around. The temperature was plunging, and he was shivering pretty violently now in his lightweight windbreaker. Jamie had just finished checking the perimeter on the south side, noting there were no entry marks on the outside of the previously open window. It must have been an oversight, he reasoned. _It had to be._ He was still lost in thought as he turned around the corner and flinched dramatically as he ran directly into his father coming up the walks with a bag in his hands. "Jesus, Dad, you scared me," he stuttered.

"Jamie! What the hell are you doing out here?" Frank bellowed as he grabbed his arm. "Get back in that house now! It's freezing out!"

"Dad, I was just checking... there was a window loose... I had to make sure it..." He was being pushed unceremoniously up the porch stairs.

Eddie came hurrying down the steps with Kaylin in her arms when she heard the commotion at the front door as Jamie and Frank came in still arguing. "What on earth were you doing outside?" she demanded angrily.

"Did you find Bear yet, Daddy?" Kaylin asked hopefully.

"No, baby. Not yet," he answered as he pulled his jacket off and slung it back on the rack, forcing himself to hide the shivers that were threatening to reveal themselves. He was only moderately successful at doing so. "I was just checking on a loose window. It was banging," he offered again. "What was I supposed to do?" he directed at nobody in particular.

"You're supposed to have more sense than to wander outside in the cold alone when you're sick," Eddie bristled. "You couldn't even put a warm jacket on?"

"I'm NOT A CHILD anymore!" Jamie shouted in a voice he had never used with Eddie before. It stunned her. "If I see something that is a danger to my family, I'm damn well going to take care of it!" With that he stomped up the stairs and Eddie was left holding her daughter while Frank stood still with the soup. There was a moment of utter silence as the three could do no more than blink at each other.

"He's just stressed, Eddie," Frank finally offered in way of explanation. "Being sick and away from you both, he was just worried the whole time." He did not mention the subject of Jamie's nightmares, figuring it was his son's business whether to disclose that to his wife, although he was fairly certain it was the cause of the blow up. Little did he know that only scratched the surface of the real tension behind Jamie's angst.

"I know, Frank," Eddie said softly, staring up the steps her husband had vanished from. His out of character reaction had left an uneasy feeling in her heart. "Thanks for the soup, I'll be sure to get him to try that."

* * *

 _Love the Bear-angst from everyone! More on him in the next chapter!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hoping the notifications are working now. Site seemed to be acting funny earlier. Don't forget Chapter 6 if you didn't see that post yesterday._

* * *

Chapter 7

Saturday's predicted storm arrived with a vengeance in the early morning hours, leaving the forecasted extreme amounts of precipitation in its wake. By dawn on Sunday as the front moved out, there were nearly two feet of heavy, wet snow on the ground and much of the city was shut down in a state of emergency. Despite being unable to keep down more than a few sips of broth at a time, Jamie had insisted on doing the shoveling himself to keep their walks and driveway open, going out in the weather every few hours so that the accumulation did not build up too high. He would not allow Eddie to do anything more than broom off the porch. By the end of the storm on Sunday morning, he was completely exhausted and laying in bed in a deep sleep as the sun finally broke through the clouds.

Eddie got up quietly, trying not to disturb him. She put on her slippers and heavy robe, determined to check the porch to see if maybe Bear had come back in the middle of the night. She unlocked the front door and stepped outside, marveling at the beauty of the thick white blanket coating the neighborhood. She nearly tripped headlong over something soft and dark lying on the ground.

"JAMIE! JAMIE! OH MY GOD! COME DOWN HERE!" she screamed.

He sat bolt upright in bed when he heard her frantic cries, throwing the covers off and risking his neck by taking the steps three at a time coming down, fearing with an ice cold stabbing pain that something terrible had happened to Eddie, Kaylin or their unborn child. Every possibility raced through his mind. As he slid to a halt in the doorway, he steadied himself against a sudden bout of dizziness. His vision was suddenly reduced to six shades of gray before settling back into muted color. "Eddie!" he choked out. "Honey, what's wrong? Are you okay?…"

Eddie was standing in her robe on the cold front porch, shaking and pointing at the ground. A black plastic garbage bag, tied at the top with nondescript twine lay on the stoop, concealing what looked at first glance to be a medium-sized lump... or a limp body. One of Bear's missing posters had been attached. Jamie's heart plummeted as he stepped out on the porch and stared in disbelief.

"Oh no, not our poor Bear!" Eddie cried as she covered her mouth. "Who would do this, Jamie?" she sobbed. "How will we ever tell Kaylin?"

Jamie stood there in shock, unmoving except for a gentle sway as he fought to keep his balance. He felt like his bare feet were frozen to the welcome mat on the ice cold concrete, but took a hard swallow as he forced himself to move closer and crouch down. Out of habit, he slipped his sleeve over his hand so he wouldn't touch the plastic as he tugged at the top of the bag. The contents shifted easily with just about the right amount weight. Whatever was inside had not been there long enough to freeze hard on this cold mid-December morning. Jamie felt his stomach knot up as he glanced back up at Eddie with tears in his eyes.

"I, um…" he started and then paused. "I guess I have to check to make sure, right?"

She nodded wordlessly as Jamie stepped back in the house to slip into his sneakers and grab a letter opener out of the basket hanging in the entryway. He rolled his sleeve back down and grasped the bottom of the bag, subconsciously preserving any forensic evidence more likely to be found on the top, proper police procedure ingrained within him and offered on autopilot. "Don't look, Eddie," he said softly, trying to spare her from the sight of their beloved pet as he slid the razor edge down the bag. His wife turned away at first as Jamie lifted the plastic, but she could not resist the urge to look back. She saw her husband turn three degrees paler while he quickly pulled the cover back down.

"Is it him?" she asked fearfully, as Jamie stood up and turned abruptly, heaving what little fluid he had been able to keep down for the past twelve hours over the porch railing and into the snow covered bushes.

"No," he choked out, shaking with the chills and an adrenaline rush as he put the back of his hand up to his forehead then wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "No white on the nose. It's not our Bear," he told her without turning around. "Big cat just like him, but definitely not Bear," he added in relief. "Thank God."

Eddie put her hand up on the wall after tightening up the belt on her robe and fought to compose herself. "Why?" she asked angrily. "Why would someone do that to us?"

"I don't know, Ed," Jamie replied, still gulping for air and struggling to stop his stomach from heaving and turning over again as he leaned heavily on the railing. "Maybe they were trying to do the right thing after hitting this one with a car or something… Saw the posters and figured it was ours."

"What do we do now?" Eddie asked. "We can't let Kaylin see this!" she added in a little panic, looking back at the open front door and fearing that their daughter had woken up during the commotion.

"I'll, um…" his head was still spinning. "I'll get another bag and put this in the garage," Jamie told her. "Tomorrow, I'll stop by animal control when they open and see if they can scan it for a microchip or check if they have any reports of a missing cat like this in the area. Maybe the owners are looking for it."

###

For the first time in several years, a Reagan Sunday dinner was cancelled. Danny, Linda and the kids were stuck in Staten Island, Erin was snowed in at her apartment in Park Slope and Nicki was riding out the weather in her dorm. Frank and Henry had their meal alone. After the morning's events, Jamie had no desire whatsoever to pretend he could sit at a dining room table, but as the day progressed he was finally able to graduate to toast and scrambled eggs which made him feel immensely better. He spent the afternoon recuperating under a blanket on the couch and catching up on paperwork on his laptop while the football games were on. There was still that upcoming FBI operation to worry about and he had missed several days of preparation. Eddie was relieved to see that he had perked up enough to be vertical for the most part. She occupied herself by putting up Christmas decorations all afternoon. One thing they had discovered in the basement hoard were boxes and boxes holiday swag. Apparently Mrs. Peterson had a real touch for that at one point. After several hours Eddie had the house decked out like a holiday card. The only thing missing was a tree, and of course their four-legged friend Bear. Kaylin continued to put a treat out in his bowl every day and say a prayer for his safe return before bed at night.

"You're looking a whole lot better," Eddie said, as she slid onto the couch behind Jamie during a break, her hands roaming around his back to massage his aching shoulders. He gratefully leaned into her touch as she kneaded his tight muscles. "Geez, Reagan, you're completely knotted up. I don't remember you ever being this tense."

"It's been a hell of a week," he murmured, thoroughly enjoying his wife's caress. "Where's Kaylin?"

"Napping," she said as her hands went lower and slipped underneath his shirt.

"Janko," he warned as he melted back against her. "Honey, as much as I would love to right now, I don't think I'm quite up to it yet."

"Don't worry about it," she whispered into his neck as she continued to seek out and pressure the tight areas in his back and ribs. "Jamie, just let me take care of you for a change. You don't always have to push yourself so hard to be the family protector. This is our house... our family, and I'm not a weak little waif that can't handle things on her own, you know. Even if I'm pregnant."

"That's not what I think."

"Not intentionally you don't. But when you go away for a few days and wind up with nightmares and panic attacks to the point that a doctor knocks you out for most of a day; I have to wonder."

"It wasn't because of that..." he paused, trying to find the right words. "I just thought I saw something in D.C. that triggered some bad memories from a long time ago," he explained with as little detail as possible while he turned around and slid over on the cushion to face her. He had never really divulged much about Joe and his death at the hands of Sonny Malevsky and the Blue Templar. "It was dumb. Then I got sick on top of it, and everything just snowballed to hell like it always seems to do for me. Please, Eddie, it had nothing to do with me not believing or trusting in you to take care of yourself and Kaylin."

"Then what was it?"

"A stupid car on the street, that's all. One like we had when we were kids. I used to get nightmares a lot back then and I guess for some reason they just came back, but I'm home now. We're all together... two nights and no more bad dreams. Let's just forget about it, please?"

She pursed her lips and stared back. She knew he was being sincere, but she couldn't help but sense there was more to this than he was admitting to.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Eddie, honey, I've got to get going," Jamie shouted upstairs the following morning. "I need to leave early to go take care of that, uh, situation before work," he said, referring of course to the unfortunate body now loaded into the back of his car that needed to be carted to animal control. They had originally planned on driving into 1PP this morning as a family since Eddie was due to start her desk duty assignment in the personnel department just a few floors below his office, and Kaylin would be in daycare on the first floor, but now there was another pressing matter that needed his attention without the prying eyes of a three-year-old to ask questions about. Most businesses were still closed due to the weather but the offices at 1PP were open for those who were able to make it in.

He gave his wife and daughter a quick kiss goodbye with the promise of meeting for lunch before driving off. The road crews had been able to clear many of the major thoroughfares but most side streets were still buried in deep snow. Jamie was grateful that the main city animal shelter was open, given the circumstances. He parked in the lot near the building and carried his small box with its sad contents inside, ringing the bell at the desk. A familiar face peered around the corner.

"Andy, hey, it's good to see you!" Jamie said as he spotted one of the animal control officers he had worked with frequently when he was on patrol.

"Reagan! Good to see you too, man. Been a long time. Whatcha got for me?" Andy questioned as he eyed the box, expecting a new tenant.

"Oh, um, nothing good," Jamie admitted as he quickly filled the man in on the events that had led him there this morning.

"Cripes, Reagan. Who'd you piss off enough to leave something like this on your doorstep?" Andy asked as he waved Jamie to a table in a back room.

"Not sure if it's even that," Jamie admitted as he opened the box and placed the new bag down. Something, perhaps it was that overactive sense again, had caused him to preserve the original plastic that had been left with animal. It was secured in an evidence pack in the back of his car at the moment. Jamie wasn't even sure why he had felt the need to do that although the information that was about to be revealed in the next few minutes would have his heart racing and threatened to spawn some more restless nights.

"DAMN IT!" Andy swore as he looked at the remains. "It's Mugsy! I'm sure of it."

"Come again?" Jamie asked completely surprised. There had to be a million cats in New York City, the odds that Andy knew this one personally had to be miniscule.

"Mugsy," Any repeated, gritting his teeth as he picked up the handheld microchip scanner and waived it over the cat's back, confirming his suspicion. "He was a stray here at the shelter just last week. Really stood out because of his unusual size. Must have been adopted out on Friday that was my day off; we were closed during the storm on Saturday. He was here Thursday for sure; fed him myself. Looks like blunt force trauma, could have been a car or somebody took a baseball bat to him or something." He shook his head as he walked over to a nearby computer and punched in the chip code. "All the animals that are adopted out from our program are microchipped so we can track them if needed. Here it is. Estimated four-year-old Maine Coon male cat. Picked up in 400 block of Westmont in Queens on December 8th, adopted out to an L. Gonsalves from this location on Friday, December 13th at 12:06 pm."

"Gonsalves?!" Jamie gasped as another long suppressed ghost resurfaced. Detective Lydia Gonsalves had been one of his brother Joe's fellow warrant squad officers. She had supposedly committed suicide soon after Jamie met her, but that had later been reclassified as a homicide. The evidence she'd left behind for him with her twin sister had been crucial in the takedown of the Blue Templar, and in particular, Sonny Malevsky, who first admitted to killing Joe before shooting himself in dramatic fashion in front of everyone when Jamie, Danny, Frank and his men had surrounded the group in the backroom of a bar. Jamie thought he would never hear that name again.

"Yeah, L. Gonsalves. Know them?" Andy eyed critically. He was about to take a trip to see why Mugsy had met his fate like this on a porch in Brooklyn.

"I knew one once," Jamie admitted shakily, his heart still thumping. "But she's been dead for years. You have a copy of their ID or any video?"

"ID yes, video cameras have been down for weeks," Andy admitted as he printed out a copy of the papers. "Budget cuts, and I don't have access to any criminal records."

"Let me sit down," Jamie said as pulled a chair up in front of the computer and logged into the proper website with his credentials. "Damn it! It's a fake!" he growled when he ran the license number through the system. "Who would use a fake ID to adopt an animal?"

"Abusers, dog fighting rings use them for bait. There's no end to the list," Andy admitted sadly as he looked back to the table. "Poor guy, he was super friendly. I hate this job sometimes!" he said as he took a few steps away and leaned back on a wall.

"Same here," Jamie muttered as he brought his hand up to his pounding forehead, a severe tension headache making a brutal reappearance. This was not how he wanted to start his week. It had to be a freakish coincidence, right? First the Chevelle and its Joe look-alike, and now a link to Lydia's name. The open window. The missing cat. But the Templar was long-dead... the Reagans had made sure of that. It had been so for years now. Maybe he was just cracking under the strain and seeing things that weren't there. Still... his father never believed in coincidences, did he?

"Hey, you have the information for our cat, right? It's Bear. He has an ID tag with his name and our numbers on his collar. Still haven't found him and my little girl is devastated."

"Yeah, saw the notice posted. Nothing here. Anything that comes in like him through the borough shelters... we'll give you a call first thing, and I'll take care of Mugs over there and file a report. You let me know if you ever find out who the bastard is that did that to him."

"I will," Jamie promised. He suddenly had a few more stops to make and favors to call in before he made it into work that morning or brought any of this up to his family.

###

"Jamie Reagan, as I live and breathe; I never thought I'd see you down here," Mike Becker from the NYPD forensics lab called out as his longtime friend walked up and shook his hand. "What brings you to my little dungeon in the basement?"

"Hey, buddy, I need a favor," Jamie admitted.

"Anything for the PC's son and the best point guard on my basketball team. What can I do for you?" Mike smiled.

Jamie put an evidence envelope down on the table. "I need you to run this plastic garbage bag for prints and DNA, but there's no case file," he said as he filled his friend in on the basic details. "Would you mind?"

"Nah, no problem for you. I'll dust it and swab it during lunch. It's quiet in here today anyway," Mike assured. "You think there's something behind this? Probably a neighborhood kid prank," he offered. _I'll remember to never mess with the Reagans,_ he thought. Danny would have been ripping things apart if anyone had screwed with Linda and the kids that way, of that he was sure.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Jamie admitted. "Just covering my bases without making it a federal case out of it. Call me if you come up with anything though, will ya?"

"Only if you promise to show up for next week's game against the guys at the 4-2," Mike laughed. "We got plastered last week when you were away in D.C. Don't tell your brother, but he's no good on point. Couldn't pass the ball to save his life. All he did was foul."

"Yeah well, I definitely won't be the one telling him that," Jamie smirked. "I'll see what I can do. Thanks, Mike," he said as he turned to leave while he pulled out his phone and dialed. There was one last issue to address before he finally made it into the office. He waited for the voicemail beep and left a message for his friend at TARU.

"Hey, Dave. It's Jamie Reagan. Listen, I need a big favor bud. You know that security system we talked about a couple of months ago for my new house? There's been some stuff happening around the neighborhood and I'd like to have that installed ASAP. Give me a ring when you can. Thanks."

Jamie chewed his lip nervously as he walked out of the forensics lab and across the street towards 1PP. He was damn sure to check carefully both ways before he entered the crosswalk this time. Old perceptions of insecurity had resurfaced, and that sinking feeling he'd had that he was in way over his head with something was back. This was silly though, right? A few dreams and some unrelated occurrences. He decided the best course was to follow up on the forensics before making any other moves. Until then it was time to take care of his regular business.

* * *

 _Next up, time for big brother to step into the picture and get his feet wet in this. Will he be willing to help?_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Reagan! Baez! Report to the 14th floor at 1PP forthwith!" Carver called out from her office to the two detectives who were sitting at their desks in the 5-4 squad bullpen finishing up their lunch.

"Uh oh, what'd you do now, Reagan?" Baez groaned and rolled her big expressive eyes.

"Absolutely nothing... I think," Danny said as he pushed his chair back and swung around to look at the Lieutenant. "Why are we being called down to the principle's office?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Request is not coming from the Commissioner's office," Carver explained with a small smirk. This was going to be interesting, and definitely worth the price of admission today. Even as a relative newcomer to the scene, it wasn't hard for her to see how this particular family dynamic would play out. "The call came in from Assistant Director, Reagan. You'll be reporting to him until further notice. Get going, you two," she smiled as she turned her back. "You don't want to keep him waiting."

Danny's head sank back against his chair as he shook it slightly, closing his eyes while his hands came up to rub his face. He couldn't believe his little brother had the gall to call him in this way. Danny had tried really hard to accept the fact that Jamie was moving up through the ranks in legal, but it still honestly grated on him. Now the kid was summoning him through official channels. This was so not going to go over well. The front wheels of his chair came down with a crash. Maria sucked back a laugh as she threw her takeout containers in the trash before opening her drawer and pulling out her gun and badge.

"Let's go Reagan, we sure don't want to be late for this."

###

Jamie was sitting in his office in the early afternoon, and steeling himself for his brother's visit when his phone rang. It was his basketball buddy from forensics.

"Yeah, Mike. What's up?" Jamie asked, somewhat surprised by the quick turnaround on his request.

"Nothing, Jamie. Absolutely nothing," Mike replied. "Except for the areas you pointed out where you touched, and the inside of the bag which was almost certainly from the cat, there's not one fingerprint or trace of DNA on that bag, anywhere."

Jamie rolled his chair back and tilted it. This was unexpected news. An amateur or a kid would have surely left some trace. The fact that there was none to be found indicated someone with a thorough understanding of forensics, and that there was almost certainly a more sinister reason behind the act. His stomach tightened once more. "You're sure?"

"Yeah, man, I even fumed it in the glue hood. There was nothing. Nada. Whoever did this wore gloves and knew what they were doing. The bag and twine are generic, no way to trace them."

"Okay, thanks Mike," Jamie said as he rolled the chair back to the desk and started drumming his pen nervously. "I appreciate the help. Do me a favor and put everything back in the evidence bag. I'll pick it up tomorrow," he said as he hung up. Engrossed in thought, he didn't hear the initial knock at his door.

" _Harvard!_ " Danny reiterated, any general annoyance he'd had with the situation was slightly tempered by the sight of his brother. Frank had recanted the gist of Jamie's rough trip down and back from Washington at the end of last week, so Danny was not expecting him to be back to a hundred percent, but the kid looked whiter than a sheet at the moment.

"Danny," Jamie acknowledged, as he gave a small shake of his head to ground himself. If he hadn't known better, his older brother almost thought he saw a flash of fear in his eyes. "Maria," he continued as he caught himself. "Sorry, I didn't hear you. Come in and have a seat. Close the door, please."

Danny stalked into the office, deliberately remaining on his feet despite the request while Maria shut the door and sat down on the right side of Jamie's desk.

"Gotta admit these are nice digs, kid," he provoked as he exaggerated his look around, "much nicer than the view us grunts get in the squad." His voice turned cold, "Now what are we doing here?"

Jamie ignored the expected jab and focused on his case. "The FBI is running an op targeting an illegal arms dealer in the city over the next few weeks. The first meeting with the operatives looks like it will be going down in your district on Wednesday night. I need the two of you to work with the agents to make sure that everything runs smoothly since you know the area and the locals. One of you will be supporting out in the field, and the other will be in the communications van keeping an eye on the feeds. There are two sets of case files in the conference room for you to look at. They do not leave this office. You will be reviewing them with agent Foster from the New York bureau tomorrow afternoon to coordinate."

"You're serious?" Danny sneered as he spun around. "You're pulling us off our real cases to babysit the feds? Are you gonna tell Linda that I have to put in overtime for the next two weeks before Christmas to make up for this, too? Gee, thanks. That's going to go over real well."

"Danny... c'mon, he's just doing his job," Maria interjected.

"Detective Baez, you can start on the files in the conference room if you don't mind. I need to speak with Detective Reagan," Jamie said sharply. Maria raised her eyebrows and gave silent thanks to be cleared from the firing line as she made her way out of the room and across the hall.

"Oh, it's 'Detective Reagan' now," Danny mocked. "Yes, sir, Director Reagan, sir."

"Knock it off already, Danny," Jamie spat. "Doesn't this ever get old? My job is to provide the FBI with the resources they need to successfully complete their op. When it's going down in the 5-4 territory, that means you and Baez. I know you hate the feds, you've made that abundantly clear for years. I guess now that it's my job to coordinate with them and prep any NYPD assets we send in, you can use that as a reason to hate what I do too. You want to take it up with the Commissioner? Go right ahead. He's on board."

In a move that mimicked his father, Jamie got up from his desk and took a couple of steps over to stand by his small office window. He caught himself unconsciously scanning the street below for a blue car.

Danny slumped down in a chair behind his brother. It really could have gone either way between the two at that point, but there was something about the look on Jamie's face right now. He might have been trying to hide it by turning around, but it was clear as day in the reflection his brother could see in the glass, and it was oddly reminiscent of another time that Danny couldn't quite put his finger on... the kid definitely looked scared. It was hard to see as his brother had matured a lot over the past few years, but he was sure it was there.

"What's really going on, kid?" Danny asked in a more tempered voice, as his concern began to outweigh his displeasure. "Is everything alright with Eddie and the baby?"

Just as quickly, it was gone. Jamie turned around from the window, and his lawyer mask was back firmly in place. "They're fine. What's going on is I have a job to do coordinating this operation, and like it or not, Danny, this time it involves you. There's a lot riding on this. I need to be able to count on you no matter what your feelings are on it."

"Little brother, you know you can always count on me," Danny said as he tried to pin down what was really at issue in that moment, but all the clues had vanished. He vowed to keep careful watch though and get to the bottom of it even if that meant playing nice with the FBI for the time being.

###

"Knock, knock," this time it was Eddie's voice that brought Jamie's attention up off his paperwork. He smiled as he saw her standing in the doorway with Kaylin in her arms. The rest of the afternoon had passed quickly, and it was time to go home. The stressful day had worn on him in his present condition, and he had to admit that he was exhausted now and ready to pack it in.

"Daddy!" Kaylin shouted.

"Hi guys," he said, as he stood quickly and stepped over to give them both a kiss. "I guess it's that time already. How was your first day at 1PP?" he asked Eddie.

"Just ducky," she replied with a smirk.

"Ducky," Kaylin echoed. "Mommy said if you were feeling good we can stop and get a Christmas tree on the way home tonight!"

"Oh, she did, hmm," Jamie sighed as Eddie handed the little girl over; he was really tired but vowed not to disappoint her. "Well then, we better get going so we can pick out the best one there. We're a little behind this year; soon all they'll have left is the Charlie Brown version."

"Charles Reagan," Eddie murmured.

"Oh, for God's sake, Eddie," Jamie sighed as he picked up his bag and threw his coat over his arm. "We're not naming this child after anyone in the _Peanut's_ cast, so that nullifies Snoopy, Linus, Peppermint Patty, Schroeder, Lucy, Marcie and Woodstock too while we're at it."

"Boy, those just kind of just rolled right off of your tongue there, sport," Eddie grinned. "Don't tell me you're a closet Schultze fan. Mmm… Schultze..."

"Woman, do you hear yourself?" Jamie griped as he locked up his office. "You've gone completely off the deep end now. You're a lucky ducky, Kaylin, that you came to us with a name already" he said, as he held her tight, "or your Mommy would have labeled you as Parsley or Oregano or something like that."

"Oh come on, Reagan," Eddie chided, "I would never name a child after vegetable matter. I'm just kidding around. I know if it's a boy you're already locked into one anyway."

"I am?"

"You're not?" she sounded surprised. "I just assumed it would be Joseph for your brother."

"NO!" he snapped loudly, and then swallowed hard, not quite believing it had come out in an almost screech that way, as he reached down while hitting the down button for the elevator and hugged Kaylin a little harder. "No, I'm not locked into that at all," his voice wavered again. "Keep thinking, Janko."

Eddie pursed her lips and gave Jamie a puzzled glance as she stepped into the lift with him. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Jamie hadn't been the same since he'd come back from his trip. It was more than being sick, his personality had changed. He'd told her that his nightmares had started when he had spotted an old car from his childhood, but surely there was more to it than that, and now another odd reaction to the mention of his brother's name. She knew whatever it was he wasn't ready to open up about it yet, but it might be time to put her own detective hat on to see what she could figure out on her own before it ate him alive.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Eddie and Jamie agreed to meet at a Christmas tree stand on a large local lot about a mile from their home since they had taken separate cars that morning. The evening air was still blustery, and the bouncing harsh bare bulb lights from the strings above the trees assailed his eyes and deepened his returning headache, threatening to turn it into a full migraine.

"Ed, I'm really wiped out," he admitted as they stood in the entrance. "I'm sorry, hon, but we're going to have to make this fast."

She could see he was telling the truth by the gray cast that had come down over his face. "We can leave," she whispered as Kaylin was jumping up and down with excitement between them.

"No, let's get it done. She wants a tree and we're here now. How about we split up and cover more ground," he suggested. "Just yell if you find one you like." Jamie had really wanted to take his family out to the country for the day and troop up and down the fields at a farm to find the perfect fresh-cut tree, but that opportunity had passed for the busy couple and this was going to have to do for the season. Next year, he promised himself, there would be time for the four of them to go.

Eddie agreed and took Kaylin down the rows to the left, the little girl skipping along. Jamie went right and was stupefied at the display of the varieties being offered: long needles, short ones, blue spruce, balsam fir, Douglas fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine, or eastern white pine. He hoped Eddie had some sort of clue as to what she wanted since right now all he was interested in was finding a place to sit down. He gratefully parked himself on a nearby bench and waited. There were several other people milling up and down the aisles, but on whole the place was fairly empty. He saw Eddie and Kaylin cross the rows at the far end of the lot; they appeared to still be browsing, so he settled back to wait a bit longer. His eyes soon lit on a man in a plaid coat though that looked to be following them, with a gaze that seemed to be more on the little girl than on any of the trees. Jamie gasped as the adrenaline hit him, and he leaped off of the bench and sprinted down the far side, arriving just as Eddie and his daughter turned the corner.

"Jamie! What's going on?..." was all his wife could get out before he spun her around and addressed the stranger who had tailed them.

"Why are you following my family?" he hissed at the older man as he stepped in between them.

"Sorry, sir," the man apologized with a thin tight smile as he looked up in surprise and held his hand up. "The little girl dropped her glove back there. I just wanted to give it back."

"Oh, uh, sorry about that, thanks," Jamie stuttered and swallowed a small gulp as he came face to face with him... there was something strikingly familiar about those eyes, that smirk... what on earth? He shook his head and accepted the item while trembling from the stress and his sudden burst of movement as the man gave him a puzzled frown and moved off.

"What is wrong with you?" Eddie demanded, as she pulled his shoulder around to face her.

"I... I thought he was following Kaylin," he stammered, swallowing hard. "Eddie, please take her back up there to look at the trees," he whispered as his hand went down to clutch his stomach. "I'm gonna be sick again."

"Jamie..." Eddie started with tears in her eyes as she gathered their daughter and headed further up the row to give him some needed privacy. "We are so going to talk about this when we get home. I know something's wrong," she called back.

###

Jamie managed to collect himself and transport the small tree that Eddie and Kaylin had agreed on back to the house, and he busied himself setting it up in the stand while his wife and daughter had supper. He wasn't in a position where he could even look at food at this point so he stayed in the living room, preparing himself for the interrogation that was to come when the little girl went to bed. He had really screwed up in front of Eddie twice this evening, and he knew that she would be demanding some answers. Trouble was he didn't really have any, at least none that he was willing to share. There was no way in hell he was getting into any of the Blue Templar stuff with her though... that was supposed to be buried deep and gone, and he planned to keep it that way. He wasn't surprised later when she plopped herself down on the couch next to him after Kaylin had been put down for the night.

"Spill it, Reagan," she cut right to the point. He flinched a little at the tone of her voice.

"Nothing to spill, Ed," Jamie hedged as he avoided her eyes. "Had a couple of bad dreams about Kaylin getting hurt, and now I guess I'm just being over reactive. It will die down. I told you, this happened to me before when I was younger."

"You're a terrible liar, Jamie," Eddie said, as she wasn't buying any of this. "You told me before that it was seeing an old car in D.C. that set your dreams off, now it has to do with Kaylin... and tonight when I mentioned your brother's name you went off on that too." There was an icy silence for some time.

"It was Joe's old car, or rather one like it that I saw; ours was junked," Jamie finally caved, he knew that he had to pony up something truthful, as Eddie was a fine detective in her own right and would not have let this drop. "That night I had one of those vivid dreams, you know... where you're standing frozen to the ground watching something terrible happen to someone you love, and you can't stop it. I had the same dream twice that Kaylin was in an accident with that car... that's all."

Eddie sat back and observed her husband. She could tell that he was being mostly truthful in his answer by the look on his face and his misty eyes, but she had a sneaking suspicion there was more. Jamie would never come completely clean over something like this. There must be something else he was trying to protect them from.

"Maybe it's just like Dad said," he offered quietly. "I'm just stressed about some stuff... new position at work with more responsibility, new house, new family, another baby on the way. All these things that make me happy... are the same ones that I'm afraid to lose like all the others in the past." Eddie knew he was talking about his mother, Joe, Sydney, Vinny and the tragedy of the summer before when her 10-13 rolled over the radio when he said that. Jamie had experienced more loss in the last few years than she could even imagine.

She shifted back, satisfied for now with the reasonable explanation he had given and determined to help. "What can I do to make it better?" she asked as she slid closer to him and wrapped her arms around from behind.

"You do that just by being here, Eddie," he sighed. "I need you to promise to be my rock for a little while now; I need you to anchor me."

"I can do better than that you know," she whispered as her hands began roaming again, and she pulled him around and pushed his back down against the armrest.

"Oh, Ed," he moaned as he lay back, knowing exactly where this was headed.

"Just let me help you relax, please," she whispered as she kissed his neck and hit all of his triggers, one at a time in a slow, methodical order. "I know what I'm doing." Soon the two were locked together in a passionate embrace and all the worries of the day had vanished, only to make an ugly reappearance later on in the night after they had fallen asleep upstairs in one another's arms.

" _Eddie, where are you?!" Jamie yelled frantically as he searched the wooded, snow covered hillside for his wife. Rows and rows of perfectly trimmed pine trees thwarted his efforts to see her, but he could hear her muffled cries growing weaker in the distance. Kaylin and another small child sat silently on an old log watching the proceedings with eerily blank looks on their faces. "Eddie!" he yelled again as he fought to run through a deep drift towards her, then screamed in agony as his left leg snapped when his ankle slipped and wedged itself between large two rocks. Undeterred, he dragged himself along the ground to a clearing, only to spot his wife being held from behind with a gloved hand over her face as she was forced down the path to the road by a blond man in a plaid coat. "Let her go!" he screamed in horror as she was shoved in the trunk of the blue car and her kidnapper turned around. It was Joe... of course it was Joe with the damn Chevelle again. At this point Jamie wasn't even surprised by that. His brother sneered back, and this time he spoke._

" _It's all your fault. You screwed me out of everything, and now I'm going to take your life from you piece by piece," he laughed as he got in the car and peeled away in a cloud of exhaust._

"NO! BRING HER BACK!" Jamie screamed out loud, as he jerked up and crawled to the end of the bed, ready to scramble away as Eddie tried in vain to grab him before he hurt himself. She was too late, and only made matters worse as she knocked him off balance when he tried to bear weight on his left leg and he collapsed, striking the side of his head on the corner of the nightstand.

"Jamie! STOP! Please, stop! It's just a dream," she sobbed as she ended up being pulled to the floor on top of him as she desperately hung on. His heart was beating out of his chest and sweat was pouring off of his bare skin as she moved over and helped him sit up against the bed, gasping for breath. Blood was beginning to trickle down his face from a small cut in the hairline above his eye. He swore he could feel the broken bones grating against each other in his leg as he lay there, fighting for air, fighting to wake up and shrug off that horrible nightmare.

"Eddie," he breathed, as his eyes finally opened and he reached up to touch her arm to ground his mind in the present. "Thank God," he panted while he blinked and tried to compose himself. She was here, it was just a dream, he told himself. Just another stupid dream. The phantom pain in his lower leg lifted as he came back to his senses, and he reached up to touch the side of his head which was now throbbing. His fingers came away sticky and warm.

"Jamie, I'm sorry! You're bleeding," she cried after she reached up to turn the lamp on, and then quickly pulled a shirt out of the laundry hamper to hold up to the side of his head.

"I'm okay," he choked out hoarsely. "It's nothing, just a scratch."

"It's not nothing, your head is split open! What was it about this time? Who was in trouble?" Eddie demanded before they both became aware of another small presence, one which averted any further questioning. Kaylin had heard her father's scream and woke up in all the commotion. She stood in the doorway with her lip quivering as she took in the horrible scene before her.

"It's okay, baby," Eddie said as she scrambled over to retrieve her daughter. "Daddy just had a bad dream and got a booboo when he tried to get out of bed. He's all right."

"Come here, sweetness," Jamie called to her as he continued to calm himself. "Everything is fine, see?" he said as she latched onto his side. "I just have to be more careful next time," he told her as he wrapped his arm around her. "Mommy will get a bandaid and fix me right up."

"I think you might need to go in for some stitches," Eddie said doubtfully, as she looked at the crimson stain spreading across the fabric.

"Not happening, Ed," Jamie replied back forcefully, leaving little doubt behind. "Linda gave me some surgical glue, just get that out of the first aid kit and close it up. Please, Eddie," he added. "I've had enough of hospitals and I've got to be into work in the morning. That FBI meet is going down tomorrow night and I need to have everything in place."

"You'll look like you went ten rounds with Tyson when you go into the office," she replied softly.

"I'm okay with that," he sighed, as he held his little daughter tight. "I'd take that any day of the week if it kept all of you safe."

Eddie just shook her head, knowing it was useless to argue the point at that moment as she went to retrieve the medical supplies. That sinking feeling that this had more to it than a spate of simple nightmares had come roaring back. If Jamie wasn't going to come clean, she was damn well going to find answers from someone else and get to the bottom of this situation before he needed real help. She knew just where to look.


	11. Chapter 11

_Be sure to follow the story to get all of the new chapters. The front page is not always updating to show stories with new material._

* * *

Chapter 11

Danny and Baez were in the legal wing conference room at 1PP finishing up their meeting with Agent Foster on Tuesday afternoon just before three o'clock. Jamie had made a brief appearance in the beginning of the assembly to make introductions before retiring back to his office. Danny had not missed the dark bruise accented by an angry red mark that now adorned the side of his brother's forehead, but he hadn't had the chance to confront him about the cause yet; something he was fully prepared to do until he discovered the kid was conveniently missing when the trio broke up.

While he stood in the hall contemplating his next move, Danny's cell phone buzzed with a new message.

 _Coffee in caf in 5?_ It was Eddie. That was kind of unexpected.

He flashed the message at Baez. She shrugged her shoulders, having learned from experience that Reagan family personal interactions could be complicated. "Go ahead," she said. "I've got some business down on the third floor anyway."

Danny replied back, and soon found himself seated at a small corner table with his brother's wife, feeling a little uneasy. "What's going on Eddie?"

"Can't a sister-in-law just invite her brother-in-law for a good old cup of joe when he's in the neighborhood? Or in my case, a lousy cup of decaf?" Danny just waited her out with a thin, tight smile before she continued. "I, um, well I was wondering if you could help me with something," she said nervously, glancing around the room while twirling the stirrer around her cup.

"Anything, Eddie, you know that. We're family."

"I need to know about Jamie and his nightmares," she admitted point blank, as she sat forward and put her hands on the table. She didn't want her husband to spot her talking to his brother, and she was taking a risk doing this at 1PP so it needed to be quick. "I need to know how to help him."

"Oh," Danny said as he sat back. "I guess that explains the knock on his noggin then," he continued as he put his hand up over his mouth and rubbed his stubbled cheek. "He's stressing over something I take it. Not the missing cat?" he asked, fully aware that his nemesis, Bear, was still at large, but not knowing the details of the gruesome find on the porch.

"No," she said. "It started before that. Ever since he went to Washington with your father and got sick the first night."

"Eddie, you've got to understand, this has been part of him since... well ever since the beginning. He had screaming night terrors even when he was a baby. Used to scare the bejesus out of the family because we couldn't wake him up... you could only put him somewhere safe and let them run their course. The doctor told mom that it was just something that happens, that one part of his brain didn't always fall asleep at the same time as the rest, and he would eventually grow out of it, but that would make him prone to other sleep disorders when he was older. He's had them all pretty much; insomnia at stressful times in high school and college; sleepwalking when mom passed, you can ask Spencer about that one; nightmares for months after Joe... Sydney tried to deal with those in the beginning, but she gave up and he moved back home for a few months before he started the academy. Eventually it passes, and he's fine when they go away."

"But he's changed, Danny," Eddie countered. "It's not so much nightmares as panic attacks that carry over into other things. He's hyper-reactive about protecting me and Kaylin right now, and I'm afraid for him," she admitted.

"Well, he's always been an over-responsible tight ass, too. That's another part of who he is, and now he has a family of his own to protect. Do you know what's triggering it this time?" he asked, thinking back to the oddly familiar fearful glimpse he'd seen of Jamie's face the day before. He had been scanning the street below at the time, but looking for what?

"He said they started when he saw a car like Joe's by his hotel... that he started having dreams that Kaylin was hurt in an accident with it. I believe he's telling the truth about that."

"The Chevelle?" Danny pondered. "It has to be more than that... Jamie loved that car," he added, "we all did until... well until he had the accident and wrecked it."

"That's the car that he drove into the pier? The one that was..."

"Sabotaged by Sonny Malevsky," Danny finished thoughtfully as he drank some more of his coffee. "The guys that killed Joe tried to take Jamie out as well when he got too close to them. Cut the brake lines the night of his probation party. If he hadn't put it into that wall he would have ended up at the bottom of the river with it."

"He never talks about that time with me. I'm not sure if the nightmare last night was the same one as before... he was yelling for someone to 'bring her back' when he fell and hit his head. Danny, it has something to do with Joe as well. Jamie can't... well he can't even mention his brother's name right now," Eddie revealed. "It's almost like he's... afraid of him. I know that doesn't make sense but I'm sure it's part of it." She paused and shook her head, "You don't think he's involved in anything like... you know... that undercover stuff with the FBI again?"

"Now?" Danny asked. "With you pregnant and Kaylin in the house... without letting you know? No way," he said vehemently, shaking his head. "He's had enough of UC. The only reason he went after Denison was because he couldn't go back to patrol and didn't have to hide his identity," he added as he thought back to the previous year when his brother had pulled off a major operation with the FBI to bring down a conspiracy ring in the legal department at 1PP. "You know it's the first anniversary of that case, maybe that's haunting him?"

"No, it has to do with that car... with Joe," she replied. "I'm sure of it."

Suddenly Danny realized exactly where he'd seen that look on his brother's face before. It was that afternoon standing outside of his father's house when Jamie had shown him the recorder with Joe's voice that Lydia Gonsalves had left him. The day after the accident with the Chevelle when he had come clean and revealed the extent of the investigation into the Blue Templar, and that Joe had been killed by dirty cops and not by a drug dealer as was thought all along. He'd been scared to death and in way over his head.

" _What's going on, kid?" Danny had asked with concern as he walked up to his brother on the sidewalk in front of their father's house._

 _Jamie just shook his head and sighed, "Something you should hear," he'd said sadly as he pushed the play button on a small silver recorder._

 _Danny had been startled by the voice as it played. "I'm getting close, but the Templar may have made me."_

" _That's Joe," he had croaked out._

" _The night he was killed," Jamie confirmed. "He was working with the FBI, investigating the Blue Templar."_

" _What?"_

" _I should have told you a long time ago, Danny," Jamie had forced the words out as all the blood had drained from his face._

" _Does Dad know?" he had demanded in shock._

" _No," Jamie had admitted._

A cold, uneasy feeling sank into the pit of Danny's stomach. The Templar was history, wiped out over five years ago. Malevsky was gone with it, having committed suicide right in front of them. What could be conjuring that unholy hell back up again? Was there something really to it, or was he imagining things and this was just the result of some sort of anxiety attack that Jamie was bringing on himself? Could one sighting of an old car really have triggered all of this?

"I'll talk to him," Danny said abruptly, as he stood up to take his leave. "Eddie, don't push him on this too hard or he'll shut down, but you just keep an eye on him at home. We'll get to the bottom of this, I promise," he assured her before he tossed his cup in the garbage and walked out of the cafeteria. Her astonished gaze followed his hasty departure. By the look on his face she was sure she had just opened up a rather nasty can of worms with the older Reagan brother as well.

"What the eff have you gotten yourself mixed up in this time, kid?" he muttered on the way out.

* * *

 _Next: Will something force Jamie's hand and have him finally turn to his family for help or will he continue to try to go it alone? Will they believe him? And who was the man in the plaid coat?_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

That evening after work, Eddie decided to take Danny's advice about the situation and deliberately avoided confronting Jamie with what she had learned that afternoon. She was fairly certain that his older brother had not yet spoken to him as he had been a little quiet through dinner, but seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself as they pulled up more boxes of decorations from the basement and trimmed their little Christmas tree with Kaylin. There was even an impish grin on his face when he tuned to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on TV and belted out a few of the carols for his daughter. It was good to see some color back in his face although she could have done without the blossoming multi-hue bruise to serve as a reminder that right now all was not as happy as it seemed.

"Don't get any ideas, Janko, those names are still off limits," he smirked as she sat down and put her feet up on some pillows for a while. She had been relieved to find her regular "afternoon" sickness had subsided as she was now midway through her thirteenth week, but was finding that replaced with an odd combination of swollen ankles and a seemingly expanding, tender chest. It felt good to relax a little after the past few days.

"Christopher Reagan," she mused as he puttered around the living room, gathering up empty ornament boxes and leftover bows to take back downstairs after Kaylin had gone to bed.

"With a 'K' as in Kringle?" he stopped and paused for a few seconds to think about it. "Maybe."

"Oooh, I got a maybe," she grinned in satisfaction as she sat back further. "I'm not one for non-traditional spellings but I can negotiate on that. Happy, happy, joy, joy! Kaylin and Kristopher even passes your silly alliteration requirement."

"It's not silly, but yeah, you're definitely getting warmer, Janko," he laughed, then smiled sadly as he watched his daughter add another nighttime treat to Bear's bowl. There were four sitting in it now. It had been four days since his abrupt disappearance before the storm. She dragged one of her stuffed teddy bears over to the couch and dropped it before climbing up on Eddie's lap.

"Mommy, won't he ever come back?"

"I don't know, baby," Eddie said. "We'll still say our prayers for him every night."

"C'mon sweetness," Jamie said as he picked the little girl up. "It's time for you to be in bed. Give your mom a kiss and I'll tuck you in so we can say an extra special one for Bear tonight. Let mommy stay here and rest, she's working very hard making a new baby brother or sister for you right now."

Eddie smiled as she listened to Jamie take Kaylin upstairs and run through their bedtime rituals. She could hear him gently telling the little girl that sometimes prayers aren't enough to bring back someone we love, but that we could only ask, and that God always watches over them.

She was having second thoughts though that maybe she had done the wrong thing in bringing this business with the dreams up to Danny, especially since something had also seemed to upset her brother-in-law in the end. Jamie did not always appreciate his older brother's input into his personal life, and she worried that maybe he would take it the wrong way. Perhaps it would be better to come clean to her husband first.

"She was out like a light," Jamie laughed when he returned downstairs and sat down next to her a few minutes later, putting his feet up on the coffee table. "I know she's still upset about Bear, but when that little girl is tired nothing keeps her eyes open."

"That's good, right?" Eddie answered. "I mean it's better than…"

"Better than what, Janko?" Jamie sighed irritably. He knew she was looking to have another discussion about his apparent sleep disorder now. "Better than having your husband wig out and think he's trying to crawl across a snowy field with a broken leg before he winds up smacking his head on the furniture?"

"Why were you doing that?" she asked, fishing for more details. "Where were you going?"

"I… I don't remember," he lied, suddenly not in the mood for an another interrogation. He brought his feet down and sat forward on the seat, his leg brushing against the teddy bear Kaylin had dropped earlier. He picked it up, intending at first just to toss it into the toy box sitting near the stairs, but he took a closer look as it seemed unfamiliar to him. His blood turned ice cold and his vision tunneled when he turned it over and recognized what it represented. His eyes lit on a patch on the chest of the stuffed animal's blue coat. In his hands was a bear dressed as a policeman, and there staring back at him was the insignia of the supposedly quiescent Blue Templar.

The Templar.

In his home.

On a toy his child touched.

He sat paralyzed as Eddie's voice droned back in. "...don't even try to tell me you don't remember what that dream was about. I know you better than that, Jamison…" before fading out again.

He tried to swallow, but failed miserably, vaguely wondering if this was what it was like to have a stroke… to be unable to move or communicate with anyone. He was quite literally frozen with fear before the spell was broken, and all of his senses came pouring back in a rush. Eddie had her hand on his shoulder and was shaking him.

"Jamie, are you listening to me?" she was asking, but her voice sounded distorted as if it was traveling through glass from a great distance.

"Where… where did this come from?" he managed to croak out without budging a muscle, unable to take his eyes off of that hated symbol.

"That?" she questioned, starting to become concerned with his growing focus on the toy. "Kaylin found it in the basement the other day when we were looking through the boxes of decorations. Looks like something old from the department that maybe Pops left here when he moved. She liked it because it was dressed like a police officer. Why?"

The basement.

The unlocked window.

The missing cat.

The cold sweat started again and Jamie shivered internally. "No reason, I just didn't remember seeing it before," he offered as the words came out oddly even and normal-sounding. He absolutely could not have another panic attack in front of his wife, or he swore she would think he was having a nervous breakdown and call someone on him. _Was that what this was? Can you be aware of something like that when you're having one?_ he wondered.

"I'm going out," he stated abruptly as he stood up, taking the toy with him and suddenly desperate to be alone and allow himself a moment to process this in privacy. "I thought I'd walk around the neighborhood and look for Bear." There was that eerily calm, collected voice that felt like it was detached from his own body.

"Alone at night?" she questioned. He dared to take a brief sideways glance at her. By all accounts she didn't look as if she had noticed anything out of the ordinary with his behavior. How was that possible when he swore he could hear his own heart beating outside his chest?

"Yeah," he replied, as he was slowly reunited with his senses and felt like he was capable of doing the actual speaking now. "It's quiet. Cats are supposed to be nocturnal. Maybe I can lure him out. I won't be long, Ed. I just have to give it a try," he said as he grabbed his coat and gloves, pausing at the closet door to stash the stuffed bear behind some boxes and grab a flashlight while opening up the gun safe to pick up his off duty piece. Jamie no longer regularly carried a weapon, but he was licensed to do so at his discretion as the parameters of his new position had him working in the field quite often.

"Be careful," she called out to him as she put her feet back up on the pillows while he dressed, postponing the dream discussion for now. "I'll wait up for you."

"Okay," he acknowledged in a fake chipper voice as he opened the front door, pausing to lock it securely behind him. He leaned back against the porch railing and took several deep breaths to ground himself.

There was only one place he planned to go anyway.

###

The bright full moon reflected off the neighborhood's thick snowpack, illuminating everything nearly as well as daylight while Jamie trudged along, his every breath evident in the cold air. There was a calm breeze that tickled his face, but other than that it was an entirely pleasant night for a walk. Traffic was nonexistent, but Jamie was hyperaware of his surroundings and made sure to keep an eye out, especially when crossing the street. In just a few moments he had turned down onto Harbor View and stood on the sidewalk outside of his father's house. He could see light and movement in the living room, and imagined Frank was probably sitting there in his favorite chair, reading and having a nightcap before turning in. An internal battle waged as Jamie tried to convince himself to go knock on the door... that he wasn't just seeing things that weren't there… that somehow, for some reason the Templar had been resurrected and was targeting him and his family. He remembered his father's soul crushing disappointment right there in that very house the last time when he found out that his youngest son had hidden the truth from him for too long. He could still recite that conversation, word for word from memory after all these years...

" _After I broke off communications with the FBI, I started looking into the death of Detective Gonsalves on my own. Long story short, she left a sort of last testament with her sister. Wrote that when she arrived on the scene, Detective Malevsky had killed the two dealers and then told her that they had shot Joe. She didn't believe him so the Blue Templar realized that clearly that made her a liability."_

" _Why didn't you come to us when all this started?"_

His father had asked that with his back turned. Jamie had felt nothing but sheer regret radiating off of him and his answer to that question was only partially true...

" _Because Joe had kept it from you, I thought maybe this was something he left behind for me to carry on, and I wanted to honor my brother. Now I'm in over my head, I mean, uh, who the hell are these guys?"_

He had done it for Joe, for sure, but in reality it was more of a selfish act. It had consumed him, putting the final nail in the coffin for his relationship with Sydney. He had thought if he could investigate it himself and solve Joe's murder, if he did that he would finally have the respect of the rest of the men in the Reagan family… and he wouldn't just be that dumb bleeding heart rookie that went to Harvard only to blow his Ivy League education on something he was never meant to do. Instead, he had royally screwed up and nearly gotten himself killed.

Now what was he supposed to do? Dishonor his brother by labeling him as some sort of delusional kidnapper and murderer?

Jamie remained standing out in the cold and remembered the end of the conversation when he had been driven to tears...

" _I didn't know who knew what."_

" _You should have come to me right away, son."_

" _Yeah."_

Every fiber of his being was urging him to walk up those steps and go in that door right now; that his dad would know what to do, what to say. More than anything else he did not want to disappoint his father in that manner again, and in the end that was exactly what was keeping him rooted to his spot outside on the sidewalk.

He had nothing.

There was absolutely nothing to show that any aspect of the Templar even still existed; that this wasn't just his stressed and overactive mind playing off of some very innocent coincidences. Last time there was a recording, a tampered with brake system on a car… a real suspect in Sonny Malevsky for God's sake... something solid to go on. Now there was no proof whatsoever of anything beyond an unexpected sighting of a blond man driving an old car in another state. A missing cat. An unlocked window in an old house. A dead cat on a porch that had been adopted by someone with a common name and could have been put there by a neighborhood kid that had maxed out his Netflix subscription watching reruns of CSI. A toy that could have very well been left in the house by his own grandfather years before. Three nightmares about his dead brother. About Joe. What kind of crackpot would his family think he was if he came to any of them with this right now? That thought got Jamie's legs moving again, but it was not in the direction of his father's house. Instead, he found himself another few blocks down the way, nervously staring at a familiar headstone poking out of the cold blanket of snow in the cemetery.

Joseph Conor Reagan  
June 6th, 1977  
May 15th, 2009

"Loving Son and Brother"

"God help me, Joe," Jamie prayed and would have been on his knees except for the deep drift of white that wound its way across the face of his brother's grave. "I don't know what's going on. Something's wrong, I can feel it and I'm not sure right now if it's with me or something else... I know you would never want to hurt me, but I don't know what these dreams are about or why I'm feeling this way. I just can't go on being scared of you. Please, I need you to help keep my family safe."

After a few more moments, Jamie turned and made his way slowly back towards his house, skipping down one street early to avoid passing his father's place again. He knew Eddie would be looking for him soon. His walk had done nothing to alleviate the tension and cold feeling that had settled down in his core. As he was nearing home, just two doors down on the right, the hair on the back of his neck pricked and his hand slipped into his pocket to rest on the butt of his gun. He had the uncanny feeling that he was being watched. A deliberate glance around showed nothing of concern, but he chewed his lip nervously as he approached his porch steps.

Suddenly he saw it, a bounding dark figure headed straight for him at great speed. He dropped to his knees and prepared for the impact. Jamie was nearly bowled over by the force of the hit but he didn't mind.

It was Bear.

Oh, thank God or Joe or Santa Claus; whoever it was that had sent their wayward pet home that evening. Kaylin's fervent prayers were answered and Jamie's heart was lifted for the first time in a week. Maybe this was a sign that everything else was truly just some sort of cosmic hiccup.

He was calling out to Eddie and Kaylin as he opened the front door and ushered their friend back inside into the warm living room where he was spoiled with every favorite thing imaginable. Their little family was whole once more and everyone slept well again, at least for one more night before a cascade of events over the course of the next few weeks would make it abundantly clear to at least two of the Reagans that an old enemy had indeed returned.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Danny Reagan went through a familiar routine as he removed his safety vest from the trunk of his car after parking in a concealed spot on the western-most edge of the 5-4 district, having already dropped off Baez in a predetermined location so she could hook up with the incoming FBI communications van. He quickly pulled the Kevlar over his head and fastened the velcro straps tightly before slipping a dark, loose fitting hoodie and a nondescript worn coat on over top of it. He checked his weapon and slipped it into a side holster before finishing off the look with a wool cap and a small hidden earpiece. It was Wednesday night just before eleven, and Danny skirted down a nearby alleyway to take up his position within the local crowd and keep watch on the street just a half block down from where the federal operatives were due to meet with one of the targeted arms dealer's men. It was the NYPD detectives' responsibility to recognize anything out of ordinary in the area before it compromised the integrity of the operation.

Danny's breath was visible as he balled up his hands in front of his mouth and blew on them for a little warmth. "Damn cold out," he muttered as he settled in the shadows next to the steps of a boarded up school.

"Copy that, Reagan," Baez's voice came through his earpiece. "That's why you got the outside detail tonight. We're all cozy here in the van. Coffee's good too."

Danny smiled and checked his watch. Fifteen minutes before the respective parties were due to arrive. He suppressed a shiver as his eyes carefully scanned the street, noting nothing of concern. God, he hated this particular place. It was the one area of the 5-4 territory that he tried to avoid at all costs. The 400 block of Washington Street, just down from the local park. At the mouth of the alleyway catty corner from him on the opposite side of the street was where it had happened. He could still picture the dark pools of blood that once lay on the ground over there. Joe's blood. It was there his younger brother had lay dying after taking four shots to the chest from the armor piercing rounds loaded in Sonny Malevsky's gun. This was an evil place, of that Danny was sure.

His thoughts turned back to his youngest brother and the conversation he'd had with Eddie the previous day. He knew without a doubt that Jamie would have never chosen this particular local for the meet, but it was the FBI's operation and their prerogative to run it wherever they wished. Perhaps this was something else that had been weighing on Jamie's mind, and explained the recent sleep difficulties he'd obviously been having. Given the importance of the event, Danny had half expected that his brother would have been on site tonight until he was briefed on where everything was going down. Agent Foster wanted to keep the numbers involved on scene as low as possible and Jamie would have never volunteered to come here by choice.

Danny made a feeble attempt to warm his hands again, another glance at the watch indicating eight minutes to go before show time. He redoubled his efforts to spot anything out of order but the street remained relatively quiet. "All clear," he confirmed for his partner. He was stunned to hear her frantic voice come back just seconds later.

"Incoming! White van from North 10th!"

Danny's eyes swept right immediately as a cargo van careened around the corner after running the red light, followed closely by an engaged NYPD cruiser that had just hit the lights and siren. He watched in disbelief while the van fishtailed dangerously past him as the rear doors swung open while it passed, hurling a dark form out of its depths to catapult across the pavement, and come to a rest just outside of the dreaded alley entrance. He held his ground in stunned silence while he listened to the frantic orders from the agent in charge to maintain cover while the undercover operatives were told to abort the meet. Danny spotted two dark SUVs pull away from the curb at great speed down the block. The RMP screeched to a halt just past him as the officers emerged, guns drawn to check on the welfare of the still form sprawled in the street. There was no urgency as one of the men stood up and called into his radio for additional units and a coroner's van.

"Damn it!" Danny yelled and turned to slam his hand into the nearby brick wall. Weeks of interagency planning and undercover work completely shot to hell in just seconds. Jamie was going to have an absolute fit over this. He knew his little brother had personally spoken to the sergeant in charge of the uniformed officers at the 5-4 and forewarned him to keep all patrols out of the area until it was cleared. Now there were no less than three units on the street with additional support arriving by the minute.

"I'm going in to find out what's happened," Danny growled as he stripped down to his NYPD vest and clipped his badge to his hip, throwing his coat to the ground and no longer concerned with the cold. He pulled out his phone as he crossed the street and hit the speed dial button for Jamie's cell. The kid was going to have to get his ass down here now whether he liked it or not.

###

Jamie's eyelids fluttered as his phone sounded just after eleven o'clock. Despite better intentions, he had fallen asleep slouched uncomfortably in a chair while waiting for the report to come in. Eddie and Kaylin were already upstairs. Yesterday's full night of sleep had done wonders for him, but he was still feeling quite rundown after his acute illness and otherwise battered attempts at rest. He frowned when he saw the time and the caller ID. His brother should not be calling him right now if everything had held to plan.

"What's going on Danny?" he asked as his stomach sank at the sounds of sirens in the background.

"We had to abort at the last minute," Danny informed him. "There was an incident with the local patrol right in front of me just before it went off. You better get down here, The agent in charge is hotter than hell at the screw up."

Jamie's phone buzzed again and he could see another call coming in from Agent Foster. Damn it. He held back the slew of four letter words that threatened to burst forth and was already getting up and slipping into his shoes. "I'll be there in fifteen," he told his brother before clicking over to the other call. "I'm already on my way," he affirmed to the other man while opening the closet to get to the gun safe and pull out his NYPD jacket. Eddie had heard the commotion and was on her way down the steps. "Gotta go," he said to her as he grabbed his badge and keys from the counter.

"What's happened?" she asked, knowing it couldn't be anything good.

"Not sure yet," he answered and paused to brush her cheek with a kiss. "Danny said something went down on the street and they had to abort. I might be late. Lock up behind me."

"Be careful, Jamie," she urged as he ran out of the door and she watched him pull away quickly in his car. So much for things getting back on track, she thought.

###

Danny was standing with Baez to the side of the prone figure still lying in the street, and now covered under a yellow tarp, when he saw his brother walk up on the far side of the scene and flash his badge to cross the tape line. He nudged Maria, and the pair watched as Jamie sidestepped the alley with complete focus and headed straight for the 5-4 sergeant without hesitation. The two were soon embroiled in a heated discussion as Agent Foster stepped up to join in.

"I've never seen Jamie so riled up before," Maria commented. "The family resemblance is pretty clear now."

"Yeah," Danny said as he watched the proceedings with interest. Jamie was clearly holding his own, and he had to admit he was kinda proud of the kid. The 5-4 duty sergeant was no powder puff and his body language read like he was backing down. "Lucky for him he's more like the old man then me. Gramps and I would have been looking at a suspension by now."

"Uh oh, here he comes," Maria warned as she quickly turned to avoid the appearance that she had been staring. Jamie's eyes were flashing as he walked up to the pair, but Danny did not miss the long look his brother took at the ground just behind tonight's victim, directly at the spot where Joe had fallen. This was so not going to go well, Danny thought.

"I heard you two caught this case," Jamie said as he stood next to them. "Patrol unit said they were parked at the curb around the corner when the van deliberately sideswiped them then pulled around and dumped this guy out here." He shook his head to keep it clear; standing in this place was enough to make his head split. "Damn sergeant was supposed to keep them out of this area. This reeks of a setup." He turned towards the victim. "Who is he?" Jamie demanded.

Danny shook his head and handed his brother an evidence bag with an ID enclosed. "You wouldn't believe me without seeing this. Vic's name is Joseph O'Connor."

Jamie's eyes snapped over in disbelief. "Come again?" he asked incredulously as his breaths came in short gasps. "Who _is_ he?"

"I told you; ID reads as Joseph O'Connor. According to his rap sheet he's a local low level drug dealer. Been busted more than a dozen times in this area."

"No, I mean _who the hell is he_ _and why was he dumped on this corner, tonight?!_ " Jamie spat. Surely it had occurred to Danny the unlikelihood of a man with nearly the same name as their dead brother being dumped on almost the exact spot where he had died just five minutes before a major FBI case they were both involved in was due to come down. "There's no way this is a coincidence."

"I don't know that yet," Danny barked back. "We've had the case for all of twenty minutes. Foster's been on our back already too."

"Danny," Jamie said, pulling the older Reagan over to the side and away from his partner as he looked around nervously. His face was set with the same familiar expression his older brother had seen in the window the other day. "I'm telling you right now there's more to it than someone offing a local drug dealer," he rasped in a low voice. "I can't get into it right now but I think they've been coming after me, and by extension, now I've brought you into it."

"What the hell are you talking about, kid?" Danny demanded as his blood ran cold and his own stomach began to twist. He felt like he had stepped into some kind of Twilight Zone episode. First this dead Joseph O'Connor guy gets flung out of a van in front of him and now his own brother was apparently losing his grip on reality right here and now. "Who? Jamie, you're not making any sense!" he hissed.

"We can't do this here. Pick me up at my house at eight o'clock tomorrow, after Eddie takes Kaylin and leaves for work," Jamie said as he prepared to walk away, "and watch your back."

* * *

 _So finally the much anticipated talk with Danny for tomorrow. What will he say? Will big brother be willing to help?_


	14. Chapter 14

_Be sure to read Chapter 13 if you missed it since the site didn't show the story as updated yesterday. Makes me crazy when that happens, it was an important one!_

* * *

Chapter 14

As requested, Danny's green Jeep pulled up in front of Jamie's house at exactly eight the next morning. He had barely put the vehicle in park before his brother was out of the front door and hurrying over to climb in the front seat. "Drive," he ordered.

"Where to and what's all this about?" Danny snapped. He was tired and working on only a few hours of sleep as he had been on scene most of the night; by the looks of it, Jamie was functioning on even less than that.

"Anywhere, just put us out in the open. We need to talk."

Danny glanced at his younger brother's strained face and shook his head before he dutifully guided the car down a few blocks to the park where they had all spent hours playing when they were young. He gazed out upon the empty, snow covered fields and put the gearshift into neutral while leaving the engine running for heat. "Jamie, please. For the last time, what is all this about? You're starting to scare me, kid."

"Have you noticed anything… um, out of the ordinary happening lately?" Jamie asked in a low voice, almost as if he was expecting someone else to be listening in. "Besides the fact that a dead Joseph O'Connor was tossed out of a van last night on the very spot that your brother Joseph Conor Reagan died?"

"Is that what has you spooked?" Danny asked. "Kid, by all accounts it's just a wild coincidence. From what Baez learned from one of her snitches this morning, the guy's been skimming off his supplier lately and he wanted to make an example out of him. It had nothing to do with the FBI operation last night. I mean, I'll admit it's weird, but no way connected to what happened to Joe."

"How many times was that guy shot last night, Danny? Let me guess… four times in the chest, right?"

"I don't have the M.E.'s report back yet," his older brother replied. "But, yeah, I'd say that was about right."

"Too many coincidences," Jamie murmured while he stared straight ahead. "Dad doesn't believe in them."

"There's been something else?" Danny puzzled. "Like what?"

Without a word Jamie reached down and pulled Kaylin's toy bear out of his bag and handed it to his brother. Danny just laughed when he saw it. "You're joking now, right? A stuffie? Am I being punked? Did Baez put you up to this?"

"Look at the insignia, Danny," Jamie said coldly, of everything that had happened the fact that there was an implied threat to his daughter had him most on edge.

"The Templar? You've got to be kidding me. Where the hell did you get this?"

"In my house, right after I came back from Washington. Eddie said Kaylin found it in the basement." Jamie quickly added the details about the open window and the boxes left downstairs. "That's when Bear went missing too."

"So like you said, Gramps might have left it from back in the day, and Bear came back, right? No one took him. He must have just gotten out of the house like Eddie said. Jamie, I think you're just making too much of this. You know you always get wound up when you're not sleeping well."

"And exactly how do you know I'm not sleeping well?" Jamie asked in an icy tone, expecting Danny had been informed of his nightmare in the hospital in D.C. by his father.

"Oh, uh, Eddie sort of brought it up when I ran into her at 1PP the other day." Danny admitted, suddenly feeling like maybe he should have kept that to himself. "She was worried after you jumped out of bed in the middle of the night and clocked yourself on the head. I told her that, you know, nightmares and stuff are par for the course for you when you get stressed... I mean it's the truth ever since you were a baby."

Jamie just sat back against the headrest and closed his eyes. It was all coming down to that again, and just as he feared, he was getting nowhere with his family. They were all starting to look at him now as if he was off his rocker, even his own wife who had gone behind his back to bring his problems up with his brother. God forbid if he'd reveal the true subject of his dreams or the identity of that man driving the Chevelle in Washington, they'd be calling the EDP squad out on him as an emotionally disturbed person. There was no way he could go to his father with any of this right now.

"So you don't think there's any chance... you know, that anything is behind this Templar stuff," he whispered, wishing at that moment he could just melt away and disappear. He didn't even feel like bringing up the whole business about the cat on the porch, judging from Danny's tone he'd already made up his mind.

"Nah, I mean come on, Jamie. Every single person that was involved was taken down at the bar that night or cleaned up in the following week. They all went upstate for hard time. There's no one left, we made sure of it," Danny said as he reached over and gave his younger brother a squeeze on the shoulder. "You know what I do think?"

"What?" The question was asked flatly. Complete mental exhaustion was setting in.

"I think you're trying too hard to be everything to everyone. Look at what you did this week... you got sick as hell, but you drove yourself to take care of every little thing at home and at work without a break or asking for help. Like I said to Eddie, you're an overly responsible tight ass that's been under a lot of stress lately, and now you're just seeing things that aren't there. After all that you've been through in the past year, you should take some time and enjoy the holidays. I mean, kid, come on... this should be the best time ever in your life... you've got Kaylin and a new baby on the way with Eddie. You need to let yourself relax, and that's coming from me. I get wound up in work too but I always take time with the kids and Linda."

Danny could see that his words had not really reached home with his brother yet. That was worrisome, so he tried another tactic to break through, "You know I do have to admit I enjoyed seeing you rip into Sergeant Walters last night. He looked like he was going to cry by the time you were finished. I've always wanted to do that."

"Yeah?" There it was, just a little break in tone... almost a laugh. Something to build on.

"Definitely, he's a complete jerk," Danny continued. "Foster knows that and none of what happened last night was your fault. Nothing was compromised... if anything it looks like the NYPD had no clue there was anything supposed to go down. They'll reset and get their target to come in again."

"I guess. I was on the phone with him and Reeves from Washington all night. The guy wasn't spooked. There's another meet scheduled for next Thursday now," Jamie admitted.

"Good. See? I told you so. This kinda stuff happens all the time. Now, like you said, you already handled everything with Foster. I guarantee he's catching some shut eye. You go back home and at least get a few hours of sleep, okay? Things will look better then."

"But, Danny... this Templar stuff..." Jamie said softly; he just couldn't let it go... it was still ripping his insides out. Why couldn't anybody else see that?

His older brother sighed; he thought they were past that. "I tell you what, if anything, and I mean _anything_ else comes up, you let me know right away and I'll dive on in with you and we'll get to the bottom of it, I swear. Okay, kid? Please, Jamie. I promise I'll back you and we'll go to Dad if we have to, but right now based on what you've told me I just can't see it, and you don't want to dredge all of that up for him and the rest of the family again, do you? Look at what it's done to you. He doesn't need that, not at Christmas. Hell, neither do I, but I'm glad you came to me to talk. You can do that anytime, all right?"

"Okay," Jamie finally opened his eyes and gave a small uneasy smile. It was true that he didn't want to spoil the holiday week for his family if his suspicions were unfounded, and he'd already have to try hard to keep his cool with Eddie after finding out about her little backhanded conversation. At least his brother had agreed to back him in case anything else came up. It was a start, and it would have to be enough for now. "Thanks, Dan."

"You got it, kid. Now let's get you back home to bed."

###

Just across the street and down a few doors from Jamie's home, a cold pair of gray eyes watched through thin drawn fabric with grim amusement as the green Jeep pulled back up to the curb and dropped Jamie off after being gone for just a half hour. His years of training in the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit had rendered him astute in reading body language and could sense that his plan was coming together... that he had the younger brother on edge now.

He laughed at how easy it had been so far... he hadn't even been able to help himself the other night at the tree lot when Kaylin had conveniently dropped her glove. The look in Jamie's eyes when he had gotten close to that little girl... he grinned in pure evil amusement. Throwing that toy on the floor and luring their cat out of the basement had been a nice touch also, too bad the damn thing had clawed him and got away, forcing him to go find a substitute at the shelter to leave on the porch. That had been risky, still it had afforded him the opportunity to take another stab at Jamie with the whole Gonsalves ID. Not to mention the gorgeous 71 blue Chevelle that now sat in a storage facility just a few miles away, practically purring after its round trip to Washington and back with his accomplice Matthew, who had also done a masterful job in instigating the hotel's bout of food poisoning after bribing one of the kitchen staff to carefully place some tainted lettuce.

He had been planning for this ever since that car had gone up for auction after the Templar fell, and he'd spent the last several years restoring it to near perfection. Now that the weak-hearted Jamison had a precious little family to protect and was tied in with the FBI; he was able to work his old contacts, and Agent Foster's dirty little hidden gambling habit had come in handy, providing details of Jamie's whereabouts and allowing him to cherry pick the location of the body drop. Poor Joseph O'Connor never knew what hit him. It was absolutely the perfect opportunity to make his move and end this once and for all after torturing them for a little bit. That stupid kid should have minded his own business when the Templar's reign was strong. If it hadn't been for that nosy little SOB investigating his brother Joe's death, well then none of this would be happening now. It would only be a matter of weeks before he would bring the Reagans down at the time of his choosing and make them all pay for everything that they had taken from him. He would kill them off one by one from the inside out and leave the mighty Frank Reagan broken and alone without any of his sons. _Payback was gonna be real a bitch, Commish,_ he thought with a smile as he let the curtain drop back into place.

He'd let poor Jamie stew on this for a while so he would drop his guard, what with the holidays coming up for a distraction, and then it would be time to have Matthew take the Chevelle out for another run and up the ante to draw the Reagan boys out in the open.

* * *

 _So Danny is not yet totally on board and a little conflict with Eddie tomorrow as Frank gets back in the mix at Sunday dinner. Thanks for reading and reviewing!_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Eddie woke up early Saturday morning to the sound of a knock on the front door and multiple male voices talking quietly downstairs. Concerned, she quickly slipped on her robe and made her way down the steps. Jamie had been distant with her the last few days ever since the FBI meet had gone down badly, but she had a sneaking suspicion that it had more to do with her coffee-time discussion with Danny than anything else. _He must know by now_ , she thought worriedly, but her husband had not brought it up directly. He had instead spent the past couple of nights passive aggressively sleeping downstairs on the couch, telling her only that he was restless and didn't want to disturb her. Eddie had hoped to just let it go so it would pass without a fight, mostly since she felt guilty about going behind Jamie's back, but she was prepared to confront him that evening if he didn't get his butt back up in their bed with her.

She was surprised to find Jamie talking to his friend from TARU over coffee at the breakfast bar. "Hey, sorry if we woke you," David apologized. "I managed to get up and out of the house earlier than expected this morning."

"Dave's here to put in a security system," Jamie offered by way of explanation. "We talked about it a couple of months ago, and what with me traveling more, it made sense to get it done."

"Oh," Eddie smiled puzzledly, wondering why he hadn't shared that information with her earlier. "That's good, I guess," she commented a little irritably. Jamie just hadn't been himself since taking that ill-fated trip to Washington, although there hadn't been any more nightmares lately that she was aware of. Maybe that's why he had pulled away from her and was camping out in the living room at night now.

"Thanks for the coffee," David said, sensing some tension between the couple. "I guess I'll just go get the stuff out of the truck and start in the basement."

"Sounds great," Jamie replied as his buddy headed towards the door. "Let me get some shoes on and I'll be out to help you in a second."

He turned around to Eddie when the door closed. "What?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

"You didn't think to tell me about this?" she replied in annoyance.

"We talked about it in the summer when we first moved in," he countered. "Dave's been tied up working overtime for TARU for months. This is the first chance he's had to come over and he called me about it last night. I forgot to mention it. I mean we had this at our apartment and you were fine with it. I don't know what the big deal is."

"The big deal is you had that one installed because you and your brother were afraid of what Denison might do. What are you afraid of now, Jamie? What is it that you aren't telling me?" she demanded with her blue eyes flashing.

"Nothing!" he answered with more than a trace of anger. "It's not like I purposefully went behind your back or anything," he added coldly. There it was, she thought, he did know about her conversation with Danny and had been bottling it up for the past few days. It had been a big mistake to do that; she knew it was one of his triggers, but seeing him in the midst of that nightmare had scared her to death and she wanted some answers.

She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I was just worried about you."

"Nice to see you have such faith in me. It'll do wonders to have everything brought up in front of my entire family at dinner tomorrow, you know, 'cause Danny's so good at keeping his mouth shut in front of them. You couldn't at least go to Dad instead since he already knew about it? Danny won't take anything I have to say seriously now, especially after what happened last time after Joe..." He paused, shaking his head. "We'll talk about it later, Janko," he added and spun on his heel without giving her a morning kiss. "I've got to go help Dave out so he can get finished today."

She sighed as she watched him walk out the door and put her hand on her tummy. "That, little one, is exactly how _not_ to handle your father. Make a note. Mommy really screwed up royally this time," she added and vowed to make a proper apology later.

###

Sunday dawned cold and bright. Frank Reagan frowned a little as he looked down the pew during church and noted his youngest son's rather flat expression as he sat next to Eddie with Kaylin in his lap. Things had been busy at the office all week and he regretted that he had not taken the time to check in with Jamie, especially after he was informed of the issues with the scheduled FBI meet. He smiled as his granddaughter looked up and waved excitedly back as she caught his eye. That little girl had been a real blessing to the whole family in recent months since Eddie and Jamie had adopted her, and she was going to make the holidays extra special this year. Her proud Grandpa was eagerly anticipating the fun of Christmas morning when they all gathered at the family house to open presents. It had been a long time since any of the other children were that age. Before that though, it looked like he was going to have to have a talk with his youngest, especially since Eddie seemed a little down too. There would be time today before dinner, he promised himself. Frank sat back on the bench and tried to concentrate on the rest of the sermon, despite the fact that for the remainder of the mass there was a bit of worry niggling at him. There must be a reason why his normally bright boy was so sullen looking.

He was waiting for them at the front door later on when the couple arrived early for dinner. They had decided to walk up from their house in the fresh cold air to let Kaylin burn off some excess energy. Erin was already in the kitchen cooking and Eddie had volunteered to make the side dishes that weekend. She quickly hung her coat up and excused herself as they walked in, leaving Frank alone with Jamie who was busily trying to peel Kaylin out of all her winter clothes before she could make a break for the toy box in the sunroom. Her Grandpa was always sure to keep it stocked with her favorite things, and she never knew when something else might be added. Finally, Jamie was successful in wrestling her out of her snowpants, coat and mittens before setting her down and watching her dash off. His father could not suppress a chuckle.

"I've got to hand it to you, son," he said. "I thought that was going to be a losing battle there for a little while. All those snaps and velcro on the kid's clothes nowadays… you need an advanced degree in physics to put them on and off."

"Yeah," Jamie smiled. "Can't wait to see what's in store for me with the baby. Looking at all those strollers and toys to assemble, I might have to go back to school and brush up on my engineering skills, too."

Frank was pleased to see that the boy looked a little brighter than earlier. Maybe there was nothing to worry about after all. Still, it wouldn't hurt to pry a little and make sure.

"You feeling okay after last week? Dr. Brenner called the other day and told me the investigation showed everyone got sick from just one bag of bad lettuce. That lot number shouldn't have even been sold to that hotel. They are still trying to piece together how it wound up there."

"That figures," Jamie sighed. "Guess it just wasn't my week. How is Baker?"

"Oh, she's fine. Was back to work as soon as the storm lifted. She's a tough woman."

"That she is," Jamie laughed. "Tough enough to take down a football player in an elevator. You haven't had cause to speak to a Marc Walterson lately have you?"

"I would never do that," Frank smiled. "That would mean going behind Abigail's back. She would make my life a living hell."

"Yeah," Jamie replied wistfully. His father did not miss that subtle look as he hurriedly changed the subject.

"You mentioned needing some help this morning while we were at church?"

"Oh, right," Frank had used that excuse to make sure Jamie would arrive early before Danny and his family got there, just in case he needed some private time to decipher what was going on with the boy. Right now Frank had it attributed to just one of those weeks where everything possible had gone wrong for his son, so he was prepared to let it slide. "There are a few boxes of decorations left downstairs in the basement on the top shelf if you wouldn't mind bringing them up here. They're too heavy for your grandfather and my ankle has been bothering me since I slipped on the ice earlier this week."

"No problem, Dad," Jamie said agreeably. "Where do you want them?"

"My office will do for now to keep them out of the way for today. Just put them in there." He watched as Jamie walked to the basement steps before hurrying towards the kitchen to get a read on his daughter-in-law before his son came back. Perhaps he had been totally off base in thinking there was something wrong, but Frank was a masterful detective and he wanted to be sure before he let the subject drop for good.

"Eddie, how are things going for you this week?" he asked with intent as he watched her slicing the vegetables to roast. Erin looked up and narrowed her eyes at him, she had caught that tone in his voice and knew he was on some sort of fishing expedition. Her interest was peaked. He frowned back at his daughter to warn her to stay quiet before Eddie could catch on.

"Oh, better," she replied, determined not to bring up the argument with Jamie which had dissolved into a somewhat hollow silence after her attempts to apologize the night before, plus she was still embarrassed at that awkward phone conversation she'd had with her father-in-law. "The morning sickness is finally dying down now. I feel like I can really eat again." Frank did not miss the fact that her smile didn't quite reach her eyes when she replied. There was something up, but thankfully not about the baby… of that he was certain now.

"You're so lucky," Erin replied as she walked over to the oven to check on the roast. "I was sick every single day until I was six months along with Nicki. Made for a fun time with Jack since he thought I was doing it on purpose."

"Oh, Jamie would never think that," Eddie stated. "If anything, he worries too much about everything." There it was… that slight waver in her voice. There _was_ something up with his son. Any further investigation would have to wait though as banging at the front door signaled the arrival of Danny and his family. Frank knew Jamie would not like it if his business was brought up in front of them. He decided he would just observe through dinner and see if he could determine if any fatherly advice was warranted. Unfortunately, as things turned out, it would not take first-grade detective skills to arrive at that conclusion.

* * *

 _Fun dinner scene tomorrow before things pick back up in the following chapters and Jamie is forced to come clean with Eddie before the plaid man makes his next move._


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."

The furtive glances began almost immediately after grace. Jamie was quietly looking straight ahead at the boys when he wasn't eating or attending to Kaylin, while Danny took one sideways glance at his brother before locking eyes with Eddie, and then they both turned down towards their plates. Erin and Linda watched the proceedings before exchanging puzzled glances and looking at Frank. Nicki, Jack and Sean were oblivious. Henry picked up his wine glass and tilted his head thoughtfully to meet his son's eyes across the table. So much was said without one word being uttered.

Linda took the initiative and decided to break the awkward silence. "Jamie," she said. "How are you feeling now? Danny told me about the food poisoning you had during your trip out of state last week... sounded kind of rough if you and Baker had to be airlifted back before the storm."

"Oh," he said softly as he looked up at her briefly and glanced at his father before dropping his eyes back down. "I'm okay now. Not something I'd like to go through again though," he added as he pushed some food around the plate. Erin and Linda looked back at Frank again who pursed his lips. Time to try cracking a different egg.

"Danny," he addressed in a slightly louder voice, "You seem to be quiet today. Case bothering you, son?"

"No, um, everything's fine at work right now," Danny said as he moved his green beans around before looking up at Erin. "We've pretty much closed the one on the guy that got dumped on the street the other night. His supplier had it in for him. How about you, sis? Any drama in the District Attorney's office?"

"No, quiet all week," she admitted, still curious as to what was really going on between her brothers and Eddie and not wanting to let them off the hook by putting the spotlight on herself.

"What is this?" Henry finally demanded loudly. He'd had enough of this silent round robin. "Jamie's cat got your tongues? Out with it! Now what's going on here?"

Everyone's eyes came up and once more the awkward silence reigned. Finally Jamie pushed his plate forward and put his napkin down. "Let me make this easy for everyone since I'm not in the mood for another interrogation," he said in a resigned tone. "The CliffsNotes version is that I had the week from hell, got sick, had a case blow up at work and started having some nightmares again. My wife and brother got together and decided that I've over stressed myself and gone back off the deep end, and Dad is concerned enough that he made up, literally, a lame excuse to get me here early today to see for himself. Discuss," he added with a wave of his hand as he stood and hurriedly left the room.

Eddie scrunched up her face and shut her eyes, this was not at all how she hoped today would go. She knew that Jamie had not completely forgiven her yet, but they had talked at length the evening before and she thought they had put things back on the road to right. It had felt so good to sleep curled up next to him again and the night had been peaceful.

"Excuse me," she said. "This is my fault and I need to go after him. Nicki, would you mind looking after Kaylin, please?"

"Sure, Aunt Eddie," Nicki replied as she slid over into Jamie's abandoned seat to be next to the little girl's high chair while Eddie followed Jamie's path out of the room.

"Poor Jamie," Erin whispered, remembering how tough the nightmares had been for him when Joe had passed away. She glared at her older brother. "Please don't say you told him he needed to see a shrink again this time," she hissed.

"Hey!" Danny defended as he looked towards his sons and across the table at Kaylin. He couldn't believe Erin had brought that up in front of them. After Joe's death, Danny had been pretty vocal about his youngest brother needing professional help, especially after he had been forced to move back home temporarily when his fiance decided she'd had enough of the nightly terrors. "I was just trying to help last time after Sydney ditched him, and for your information, Eddie came to me looking for answers. Jamie and I talked the other day and cleared things up... well, until he found out about that. He wasn't happy that she came to see me behind his back. That's all."

"Uncle Jamie needs a shrink?" Sean asked.

"NO!" all the adults answered in unison.

Frank put his hand up. "This isn't really appropriate to discuss in front of the children," he turned to Erin and frowned as he nodded towards Kaylin, "but since it was mentioned... Sean, the last time Jamie had bad nightmares was when Uncle Joe passed away. He gets them sometimes when he is stressed, and he was very ill when he was away from home last week so it set him off a little again. They will ease up as they always do. End of story." Hearing Danny's explanation certainly cleared up the reason for the tension he had observed between the young couple.

Eddie quickly searched through the house and finally located Jamie sitting on the floor of the den. He had pulled out several photo albums and was going through them. "Whatcha looking at?" she asked softly as she slid onto the couch behind him and wrapped an arm around his chest. She was grateful when he did not pull away.

"Just pictures of back before... when we were kids," he answered quietly and paged to some photos at Christmas when he was about seven. He was sitting on a brand new red bicycle with a huge smile, complete with both front teeth missing, and Joe was kneeling next to him with a wrench in his hand, having just finished putting the bike together. "He did everything for me," he whispered as his fingers traced over the scene. Eddie gave him a gentle squeeze and kiss on the back of his neck. Whatever had been going on lately, it was good to see him reliving some good memories of his brother. Perhaps this was just what he needed.

"I can see Kaylin being the exact same way for the new baby," she uttered. "We'll have pictures just like that in our books in the next few years."

He flipped a few more pages and there they all were, the whole family posing in front of the Chevelle. Joe was standing there with a wide grin. "Dad had just taken him out for his first driving lesson," Jamie remembered. "He was so proud because Danny and Erin were never allowed to drive that car again after they scratched the rear quarter panel just a tiny bit while they were arguing by the garage. Erin claimed that Danny tried to run her over, and they both got in trouble when they tried to paint it over themselves to hide it," he added, surprised that he could actually sit here and look at the photo without having his heart race and panic set in. It had been nearly a week since his last dream, maybe things were starting to get back to normal. "We never did get that mark out. See?" he said, pointing to another closeup picture.

"That's the Chevelle?" Eddie asked. "I never knew what it looked like before. I can totally see you driving that."

"Yeah," he laughed. "We all loved it, well except for Mom... she hated it with a passion for some reason, although she told me once that if it hadn't been for that car I might not be around at all. I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does," he said as he eyed the old empty bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey that still held its place of honor in the liquor cabinet.

"It doesn't," Frank chimed in from the doorway. After the heated exodus from the dining room he had been relieved to find the two of them sitting there together talking quietly. "Well, not quite. It broke down one evening when I was supposed to take your mother out for a night on the town. She was angry that we had to walk back home in the rain. Let's just say we made up and had a rather pleasant evening in here warming in front of the fire on a blanket with some of that good whiskey."

"Uh, I _knew_ it!" Jamie said with a grimace as he immediately pushed himself off the floor, the thought of what his parents had done down there was wholly unsettling. This room would never be the same now either. "Oh, geez, that was just way too much information, Dad!"

Frank chuckled as he walked over and picked up the album. "What can I say? Your mother was a beautiful woman, son. And what exactly are you going to tell your baby about how they came to be? Judging from your reaction the day Eddie made her announcement, you weren't quite expecting it either."

Jamie smirked at his wife. All he remembered about that night Kaylin slept over with her Grandpa was the first round of shots at the local bar during some unknown rookie's wetting down party with the guys from the 1-9 precinct and a brief walk home while they were holding hands and kissing not so long after. He had been crazy in love with her and completely plastered by the end. Other than that, the evening was pretty much a blur. "Tequila," he muttered.

"I thought so," Frank smiled. "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

"Okay, okay, touché, Dad."

"Well, it's good to see you in here with a smile on your face again. What's say we go back in and finish dinner with everyone. The discussion is over and we can move on and put it all behind us. We've got some good memories to make during this coming week with Christmas to celebrate and I have a new grandchild to spoil with another on the way. Besides, Kaylin is eyeing the chocolate cake Linda brought for dessert, and you don't want to make her wait too much longer," Frank added as he left the room.

"A little girl after my own heart for sure," Eddie laughed as she took Jamie's hand.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and pulled her in for a hug and kiss. "Let's just forget about this last week or so and go back to the way things were, okay? It's over."

"I'd like that, Jamie," she replied with a suggestive smile as her hand brushed low up against him and made him flinch. "We can pick up where we left off. I'm thinking it would be nice to start a fire tonight too after Kaylin goes to bed, you know... to warm things back up."

He took a deep breath to calm himself and smiled as he followed after her, not knowing that after a brief reprieve, the worst was yet to come.

* * *

 _Check out the first three chapters of "Snapshots - From the series" for the whole story behind the old whiskey bottle and the role the Chevelle played that night when Frank and Mary got a little frisky in front of the fire in the den._

 _Next as we continue on with this story, the jig is up and Eddie has seen enough. Just about time for Jamie to reveal everything that's happened to him so far to someone else._


	17. Chapter 17

_This was originally supposed to be two chapters, but I combined them into one long one since everyone seemed anxious for Jamie to finally break down and lay it all out to someone. Your welcome. :-)_

* * *

Chapter 17

Jamie Reagan drove home and parked his car in the driveway just before midnight Thursday night, letting out a heavy sigh as he sank tiredly back against the headrest and closed his eyes. He had spent the evening on site in the communications truck as the rescheduled FBI meeting had gone off without a hitch this time, with Danny and Baez once again providing support. The agents had gathered a lot of valuable evidence against the intended target and the second phase of the operation was not due to take place until the end of the following month. All in all, it was a successful evening, and with Christmas coming on Monday, Jamie had decided to take a vacation day and give himself an extended four-day weekend off. There were still some last-minute gifts to pick up, and he and Eddie were planning on taking Kaylin into the city during the day on Friday to tour some of the holiday sites. At the moment though it was tempting just to stay right there in the car and take a much needed nap.

The house was quiet when he finally made his way inside and reset the alarm. David had done his usual excellent job, and Jamie now felt more secure knowing his family was protected while he was away. There was no way for Kaylin to get outside when everything was set without a siren going off. Eddie had left a light on in the kitchen for him, and he stored his gun away in the safe before going to the fridge to retrieve a beer and sit down on the couch to decompress before going upstairs to bed. He kicked the shoes off his feet and put them up on the coffee table as he relaxed back. A million thoughts were still going through his mind, but it wasn't long before his eyes had shut involuntarily, and he had fallen into a deep sleep. As the hours passed, and the dream came upon him, his body started twitching and his breathing became irregular.

 _He was driving the Chevelle away from the bar again that same night after his probationary celebration, enjoying the feel of the heavy motor rumbling under his fingertips. Joe was sitting beside him in the passenger seat, uttering the words that he had once heard from his father..._

 _"Taking care of my car?"_

 _Of course he was, how could his brother even wonder about that? Jamie had cherished since it before Frank had given it to him. "I thought it was my car," he joked with a smile._

 _"It is," Joe smirked, but there was a cold edge in his voice that seemed foreign._

 _"They don't build them like this anymore. There's not a computer anywhere, it's pure mechanics," Jamie said as he lovingly caressed the wheel._

 _"You okay?" the older brother asked._

 _"I'm fine," Jamie insisted._

 _"I'm worried about you."_

 _"Since when?" Jamie puzzled, he didn't understand why these familiar words were now coming from his brother. It was his father who had said these things that day after Sunday dinner, right before the accident._

 _"Probably ever since you put on the uniform. Are you sorry about the choice you made yet?" There was a pause before the face next to him turned unrecognizable... raw and angry. "Because soon you will be," it snarled. "You should have left things well enough alone with the Templar! This is all your fault!" Just like that Joe's body disappeared into thin air, and Danny was sitting in the car with him with a look of fear on his face as he braced himself up against the dashboard._

 _The light ahead changed and the brake pedal slammed all the way to the floor with no resistance when he tried to stop. Jamie pumped it frantically anyway, as he laid on the horn and swerved through the slower traffic before looking up and seeing them... He jerked as his heart completely stopped... Eddie and Kaylin were just ahead, crossing the street with a baby stroller..._

Jamie groaned out loud while his body mimicked the actions in his dream as he tried in vain to pull the wheel hard to the left before impact, but his hands were clutching thin air...

"Jamie, please wake up!" Eddie pleaded as she grabbed his arms and tried to keep them still. She had heard his initial mumbling followed shortly thereafter by distressed cries all the way from upstairs and had rushed down to see what was wrong. She found him shaking and struggling against something unknown while fighting to take in ragged breaths. His eyes finally snapped open, but there was no recognition in them until finally she felt a shudder and the tears started to fall.

"Eddie!" he cried as he reached up to grab her. "I'm so sorry... so sorry! Oh, God, I tried..." he sobbed as he held her close. "I tried so hard... but it was my fault, I couldn't stop it... Not again! Not again!... Why is he doing this to me?"

"Shh, baby," she soothed as she sat next to him and pulled his head into her chest and rubbed his back. He was trembling with fear and his heart was racing. "It was just a dream, Jamie," she whispered, holding him tight and kissing his head. "Just a dream... it's not real. You're all right now. We're all okay. I'm not going anywhere. Jamie, please... you need to talk to me and tell me who is trying to hurt you."

"It's not me!" he gasped in sorrow as he pulled back and looked up in her eyes. "He's always after you and sweetness... always with the damn car!" It hurt too much to even say his daughter's name in conjunction with the terrible acts. Jamie felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest for even thinking about it again.

"Who?"

He shook his head as he struggled to form the word, but no sound could be forced out of his tight throat at first, until he managed to rasp, "He said it's all my fault."

"Who is after us?" she repeated more firmly. "Jamie, you need to tell me right now who is doing this. I want to help you, please tell me."

He met her eyes again, and it was her turn to gasp at the look of total defeat within them. "Joe," he whispered as he collapsed back against her. He was so utterly still, for a second she wondered if he had fainted, before his breath hitched and the racking sobs overcame him.

"Okay," she whispered as she rocked and held him even tighter while the emotion ran, unrestrained and pure. That certainly explained the depths of his feelings. Why would he think that his dead brother would want to hurt them? It didn't matter now, they would figure it out together. "That's it... just let it out. Oh, God, none of this is your fault. You've been keeping this all inside for the last two weeks. You're so strong, Jamie... the strongest person I've ever known, but even you can't keep hiding this from me, okay? It's got to come out. We'll talk about this later and figure out why... all right? Right now, just know I'm here for you and none of us are going anywhere. Not you or me, or Kaylin or the baby. We're all staying right here."

After many minutes she realized that his body had calmed, and that he had fallen back asleep out of pure physical and emotional exhaustion. She shifted herself up against the cushion and put her legs up while keeping his head in her lap and pulling the blanket down over them from the back of the couch. There was no way she was going to leave him alone tonight, not after what he had just gone through. In the morning they were going to get to the bottom of it, she promised herself. There had to be a reason why all of this was coming out now. It had all started with that trip to D.C. Jamie was going to come clean about what happened down there and she wasn't going to take no for an answer this time.

###

Jamie awoke with a start to the sounds of breakfast being made early in the morning. He groaned when he remembered exactly why he was laying draped half on and off the couch and not up in his comfortable bed. He forced himself up in a sitting position as a cup of hot coffee magically appeared in his line of vision. "Here," Eddie said smiling, "figured you were going to need this. Sorry to wake you, but this kid is demanding to be fed. Kaylin is still sleeping in but I'm starving."

He half smiled as he took the cup. "Eddie," he started to explain as he sat bonelessly back into the cushions before she cut him off.

"Not now. You better believe that we are going to sit down and talk about what's been happening, but not until you've had a chance to wake up and have something to eat. We're not doing this on an empty stomach, at least I'm not."

"'Kay," he acquiesced, as he took a sip of the strong brew. Eddie wasn't fooling around, this was high octane stuff. He grimaced as the hot drink caught in his throat when he tried to swallow. Every part of him felt raw around the edges. She called him over when the food was ready, and it wasn't until the last bit of French toast was cleaned up off of both of their plates and the orange juice glasses were drained before Eddie pushed everything to the side and reached for his hand across the table.

"Now tell me how this started," she demanded as she looked straight in his eyes. "Something happened in Washington, and it wasn't just the fact that you were away from us and got sick from food poisoning. What was it?"

"I saw the car... a blue Chevelle," he said as he closed his eyes to remember the details. "I went out shopping for you and Kaylin on the way back from my meeting the first night, and I was crossing the street to come back to the hotel when the light turned green and I looked up and he gunned the motor and nearly hit me in the crosswalk."

"Who?" she continued to pry, pausing for a second to give thanks that he had not been hurt.

"It's impossible," he muttered, shaking his head. "I know it's impossible but for a split second I could have sworn it was my brother... that it was Joe."

Eddie sat back and studied him, she knew by the look on his face that he was being completely honest with her. "And then what?"

"I was scared... just couldn't believe it so I told myself I imagined it... I went back in the hotel and ran into Baker at the elevator. She didn't look well, and then I went to my father's room and he told me there were three others who had fallen ill. Then I took a shower and called you... and I got really sick in the middle of the night."

"But first you had a nightmare," she prompted. "What was it?"

"I can't say it," he whispered as his eyes filled while he looked at her face and knew she was not going to take no for an answer. "Please, don't make me…" he swallowed hard when she didn't relent, and forced the words out in a rush. "I dreamed that our front door was left open at night and Kaylin got out in the snow. She was standing in the middle of the street in her yellow jammies... and I couldn't get to her... I couldn't move while he... while Joe laughed and ran her down in the car." Eddie gasped as Jamie went deathly pale. She was afraid he was going to be sick, so she gripped his hand tighter. It was shaking visibly again.

"And when you were in the hospital?" she continued in shock. "It was the same dream there?" He nodded. This all had to come out as difficult as it was to hear.

"But after you came home, the night you hit your head. That one was different. You were telling him to 'bring her back'... who?"

"You," he rasped. "That time he was after you. He was dressed like that man at the tree lot and was dragging you down the hill in the snow on a path away from me, and he put you in the trunk of the car. I fell and broke my leg so I couldn't stop him… I tried to crawl over. He said it was my fault, and that he was going to take everything away from me piece by piece."

"Last night you said something was your fault too," she continued to press despite the pain she could see it was causing him. He was looking progressively more ill and she second-guessed herself about doing this after a full breakfast. It was no wonder why he had tried to keep this from her.

"The Blue Templar," he muttered as he laid his head down on his arms, still gripping her fingers like a lifeline. "This time Joe and I were both in the car, and I was driving just like the night when I had the accident. Joe told me that he was worried about me, wanted to know if I'd made the right decision to become a cop, and then he changed... I don't know how… he was suddenly someone different and said this was all my fault because I didn't leave the Templar alone. Then Danny was in the car with me instead and the brakes failed again and I couldn't stop it... I couldn't make it stop... you and Kaylin and the baby were in the street and I couldn't stop..."

"Jamie!" Eddie said sharply as she was afraid he was being drawn back too far into the scene in his mind. "There has to be more to this. Your brother and that car are all tied up with this Templar thing you've mentioned. I know that they were the ones who murdered Joe, but you've never really spoken about it with me before. What else is bringing this up?"

"I don't know," he moaned with his head still down, pressed hard against the table now on the very spot where he had first hit it on the nightstand so that he was forced to feel something else besides the pain in his heart. "Too many coincidences, Dad doesn't believe in them... Danny thinks I'm crazy... You all do... maybe I am..."

"You are _not_ crazy!" Eddie exclaimed. "I don't believe that for a second. Look at me," she demanded as she pulled on his arm. "Jamie, _look at me!_ Now tell me what else has happened! Not all of this has been in your dreams! You've been trying to protect us from something real, haven't you? That's why you called David over here to make this place like Fort Knox."

"The window..." he said as he finally picked his head up and lifted his eyes. Eddie said she believed him, no one else except for Joe had ever done that before when he felt so messed up. Sydney had bailed and sent him home to work it out on his own. Danny would have been pressing to have him admitted for a 72-hour hold by now. Erin and his mother would have cried and his father would have just been… disappointed. "When I got back that night and Bear was missing... the downstairs window was unlocked and banging, I'm sure it was secured before I left and then Kaylin found that toy with the Templar insignia on it. Gramps was a founding member back in the day, it could have come from him... but..."

"What else?" she hissed. There was no doubt in her mind now that all this was not just a figment of Jamie's tired, overstressed mind. He was not falling apart... he was too good a cop for that. Her detective spidey senses were tingling... there must be a real threat to him or their family or it would have never gone this far.

"The cat," he continued as he sat up and buried his face in his hands, his head was splitting. This had the makings of a migraine to end it all. "The one we found on the porch. When I took it to animal control it had a chip, and I found out it had been adopted from the shelter the day Bear disappeared by someone who used a fake ID under the name Gonsalves. Bear… he must have gotten away from them somehow and they looked for one just like him to send us a message. I had my buddy Mike, the one from forensics, run the bag it was in and it was completely clean for fingerprints and trace." He looked back at his wife. "Lydia Gonsalves was on the warrant squad with Joe. Sonny Malevsky and the Templar killed her after she tried to help me."

"Jesus," Eddie sighed. "Is there anything else? Why didn't you come to me with this, or at least go to speak with your father?"

"I went to Danny," he defended. "The morning after that Joseph O'Connor guy was killed and thrown out on the spot where our brother had died. He said I had nothing concrete to go on. That it was a coincidence a junkie with that name was shot by his supplier, and not to bring this back up to Dad or anyone else because it would just wreck the holidays for them. I didn't tell him everything though… not about the car, or the dreams or the Gonsalves thing. I thought I was just losing my mind, and then I found out that you went to talk to him behind my back so I thought you were doubting me too. You're the only one that knows everything that's happened now," he admitted.

"Okay," Eddie breathed as she gathered herself. Jamie had certainly revealed far more than she had been expecting. It was a few moments before she continued, "Where do we go from here?"

"I don't know," he sighed, shaking his head and still surprised that she was ready to support him. "It's all a dead end. Danny's right; the whole Templar group was taken down and Sonny killed himself. Everyone else is still in jail, there's nothing left."

"What about the car?" she asked. "That's something real that we could look for. Do you think it could have been the same one?"

"No," Jamie answered. "It was totalled in the accident. Broke the block and smashed the frame. It would have been almost impossible to fix. I sold it at auction for parts."

"But then why was it in Washington? If all of these things are truly connected, who would have known that you were going to be away at that time? I didn't broadcast it, only your contacts at the office and family knew, and someone must have been watching here if they broke into the house and let Bear out while I was away that morning. We need to track that car," she asserted. "Even if it's not the same one. If someone is setting you up, then I'm betting they are local. That car had to drive down there and back some way. You need to call Dave and have him pull the bridge and toll cameras from TARU those days. If we find that car, we'll find out who's behind this. Either that or you need to figure out who the leak is in your office. Someone who knew you would be in Washington at that time and rigged it so that the FBI meet went down on the same street where Joe died. I'm like your dad, I don't believe in coincidences either."

Jamie sat back and marvelled at his wife. Not only did she believe him, but she was willing to take the lead on this if necessary. He had been hamstrung by his personal feelings of self doubt and fear, and she was just operating on pure investigative instincts right now.

"Damn, Janko," he muttered in awe. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're an excellent detective?"

"You did, Jamie," she said with a smile. "You've always believed in me... just like I will always believe in you. I think subconsciously you know something is wrong; you've always had that sixth sense whenever we were in some kind of danger on the job. Maybe the Joe in your dreams is just trying to warn you about it. That's why he said he was worried about you in this last one, before he changed into someone else. Whatever it takes, we will get to the bottom of this together. I promise. No one is going to mess with you or anyone else in our family," she said defiantly.

He smiled for the first time all morning. There was that spunk he'd fallen in love with from the moment he met her. "Okay, partner," he said as he paused and closed his eyes for a second to think while his mind cleared. "Let's do this, but for now we keep it between ourselves, at least until after Christmas unless something solid comes up before then. I don't want to wreck anything for Dad, especially because he is so looking forward to spending the holidays with Kaylin. Just promise me we'll stick tight until we know what's going on."

"I promise," she said as she got up from the table patting her belly. "Let me just remind you that this kid makes me pee every twelve minutes now, so consider that when you decide exactly how tight we need to stay."

They were both laughing a little, and the tension eased as she walked away.

* * *

 _Yay for Eddie! Next up, Christmas with the Reagans._


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"When are Jamie and Eddie supposed to get here?" Henry asked anxiously as he stalked through the kitchen. "It's about time they brought my great-granddaughter over isn't it? If they wait any longer it won't be Christmas morning any more! Everyone else is already here."

"Pop," Frank admonished, "I told you they wanted to have a little time alone together this morning. It's their first Christmas all together as a family; let them enjoy it. They came to midnight mass last night and Kaylin probably slept in. She's only three... she's not like Jack and Sean who set their alarms for first thing in the morning. We'll have the whole rest of the day to spend with them."

"Ahh, you're just a scrooge," Henry complained. "What fun is it if the little girl is already all tired out by the time she gets here? I want to see some action when she rips into those presents! Maybe you should give them a call and see if you can hurry them along."

"Who's a scrooge now?" Erin asked as she wandered into the room to check on the meal. "And when is Jamie going to get here? The boys are dying to open their gifts and I can't wait to hear what Eddie says when she sees that Linda and I got tickets to take her and Nicki to that new show on Broadway on Friday night. This will be our last chance to have a complete Reagan women night out before the baby comes. Nicki will be back in school and Eddie's not going to want to do it when she's eight months pregnant and has a bowling ball sitting in her lap."

"Oh, good grief," Frank sighed as he left the room. "They'll be here when they are. Patience is certainly not a virtue in this family," he grumbled as he gave up and picked up his phone to dial his youngest son.

Jamie had just about gotten Kaylin wrangled into her jacket when his phone buzzed. "We're on our way, five minutes," he said as he picked up and then immediately dropped the device on the carpet as the little girl wiggled and squirmed away from his loosened grip. "Kaylin Elizabeth Reagan, you come back here!" he scolded as she giggled and ran back to her new toys in the living room. He stayed on the floor and laughed, thoroughly defeated by a three-year-old in a dress, tights and patent leather shoes. "I give up."

"You're going to have to work harder on your takedown skills, Reagan," Eddie commented. "That was embarrassing."

"Just grab that last bag of presents and bring her coat out to the car, lambchop," he countered. "We're like two minutes away. I'm just gonna throw a blanket over her and scoop and run. No need to wrestle her into that and then try to get her back out once she sees what everyone has in store for her over there."

Eddie just laughed as she carried the items out to the car, this had been the best Christmas morning she could ever remember.

Back at the Reagan house, Frank hung up his phone. "Well?" everyone turned to him.

"Jamie said five minutes, then he dropped the phone and there was some kind of commotion. I think I heard him mention something about giving up and trying a scoop and run," he chuckled. "Sounds like Kaylin was giving him a hard time about getting dressed."

If Frank Reagan had any idea of who was watching his youngest son and his little family get in their car at that very moment he would not have been laughing. Instead, his blood would have run cold and he would have called in every resource at his disposal to protect them. Those eyes had not missed the fact that Jamie had brought in an expert to install a security system at the house. How unfortunate, he smirked, that the younger brother was proving to be a little more resourceful than he anticipated. He'd overdone it with that damn cat and the sticky window. Now he was going to have to switch targets for his next move. The hour was growing short and very soon it would be time to stir things up again.

###

"They're here!" Sean shouted excitedly as he ran to the front door and opened it while Jamie and Eddie made their way up the steps loaded up with their daughter and bags of presents. Danny volunteered to help his brother make one last trip out to the car for the rest, and he was jumping up and down and warming his hands, standing there clad only in a dress shirt and suit pants as he waited for Jamie to pull the remaining items from the back of the car. He was surprised to see the kid was wearing his sidearm in a holster underneath his coat when it pulled away as he reached for the last bag. His brother did not regularly carry anymore unless he was working in the field and their house was only a few short blocks away.

"What are you doing with your off duty piece?" Danny asked. "What, do you think Santa's coming after you now?" He instantly regretted his comment as Jamie immediately straightened up and involuntary smacked his head on the edge of the car's door frame.

"Cripes, Danny," Jamie grumbled as he stepped out and stood up rubbing the back of his neck. "This coming from the guy that carries when he takes the trash out to the curb on a Tuesday."

"Yeah, well I don't live in such a swanky neighborhood, kid, now do I?" Danny said with his eyes narrowing. "What gives?"

"Nothing," Jamie lied, not wanting to get into anything at the moment. His older sibling hadn't been too keen on believing him earlier, and he just wanted to follow his advice and enjoy this day. "Just being cautious for now," he added and then frowned when he saw that his brother had not relented. "I'm still not convinced that there isn't something to the things that have been going on, and I'm damn sure going to be ready to protect my family if there is, okay? Can we just leave it at that?"

"Has anything else happened? I mean I told you to tell me right away if..."

"No, nothing else. I'm just looking into some things for my own peace of mind. I'll let you know if anything turns up."

"So you're still having nightmares then?" Danny accused, and he just wasn't in the mood to let it go right now. "Jamie, you know you get paranoid when..."

"I told you, I'm fine! Now can we please just take this stuff in and go enjoy Christmas dinner?" Jamie spat. "I'm starving right now."

Danny followed his brother back up to the house and watched with trepidation as he stored the firearm in a lockbox in the hall closet before joining everyone else in the dining room. Something wasn't right. Now it was Danny's senses that were screaming at him and telling him that he needed to be concerned. It was much later in the afternoon after dinner had passed and all the gifts were opened before he had the opportunity to corner Eddie alone in the kitchen while the rest of the family was preoccupied in the sunroom watching Sean and Jack play a new video game they had just received.

"Eddie," Danny pried in a low voice. "I was just checking in to see how things were going with Jamie. Have the nightmares eased up yet?" He knew this was obviously not the case and did not miss the fact that the question startled her as she looked nervously back towards the door to make sure that he husband was not in earshot.

"Danny, don't bring that up to him again," she begged quietly. "Please… not today. We're handling it. He's been better the past few days. He had another one, and we talked about it and he finally told me everything that's been behind those dreams. He hasn't had one since then. Don't go saying anything to him right now. He was so angry with me when he found out I came to you about it behind his back last time... Please, he needs to trust me!"

"Alright," he relented in a cold tone while he looked at her directly. "But I'm keeping my eyes on him now, and know that if I see anything... and I mean _anything_ that warrants it, I'm going to be on him like white on rice, and I'm not just going to ignore it to keep the peace. He's my baby brother, and that's not my style," he hissed. "You should know that by now," he added as he grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator and left the room to rejoin the rest of the family.

Eddie gave a heavy sigh and was left anxiously chewing her lip, contemplating what he said and wondering what might have set her brother-in-law off in such a manner today when Jamie suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Eddie, are you okay?" he asked worriedly as he made his way into the kitchen. "You look tired. Do you need to lay down for a bit? We can go home if you want."

"Oh, no I'm fine," she smiled. "I just came in here for a little snack, but then I got queasy again." That was somewhat truthful, her stomach was turning, but not because of the baby. "Guess my body can't figure out what it wants to do today."

"Why don't you go sit down in the den and put your feet up," he insisted. "You've been on the run all weekend and we go back to work tomorrow. Kaylin is preoccupied with everyone else so take advantage of it. Please, I'll fix you something light and come relax with you."

"Okay, that sounds good," she agreed, figuring that would at least keep him out of his brother's line of sight for a little while until Danny cooled off. She had no confidence at all in his promise that he would let things go for the rest of the day and she didn't want this wonderful memory tarnished by a family conflict. There had been more than enough of those in her life. Jamie brought her a healthy plate with some cheese, crackers and fruit and after it was finished the two of them curled up on the couch with her head resting on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her. They were both tired after the long day, having been up at the crack of dawn to assemble and wrap some of Kaylin's bigger gifts, and soon dozed off peacefully together. Frank smiled when he came across them a few minutes later and closed the door to keep the raucous noise from the other room at bay. Things certainly looked solid between them again, and it was good to see that his youngest son had finally found someone who had brought him so much happiness; it made him think about the wonderful life he had shared with his beloved Mary. Eddie had certainly been worth the wait.

* * *

 _Next up, Danny gets his own little dose of the plaid man's twisted retaliation and he's not happy about it._


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Reagan, how are things going?"

Jamie looked up from his desk where he had spent his entire Tuesday afternoon reviewing the video footage that he had requested from Dave in TARU, looking for any sign of the illusive Chevelle leaving the city in the days prior to his meeting in Washington. His mind and eyes were already saturated with the images, but so far he had found no joy. He was surprised to see Agent Foster standing in his doorway and subconsciously flipped his screen off with a click of a key. There was no meeting scheduled for today and the next phase of the FBI op was weeks away. "What can I do for you, Phil?" he asked evenly.

"I was just in the area and thought I would check in with you," Foster lied. He had been sent in by his blackmailer to see what kind of information he could ferret out about Jamie's schedule this week. With the balance of his career resting on keeping his substantial gambling debt hidden from the bureau, Foster had no choice but to comply. It was a shame, he thought, as this Reagan was actually an upstanding likeable guy, but he wasn't going to go down in flames for him. He had a wife and two kids in private school too and coming clean about any of this would have seen him off to prison while his family watched as his pension went up in flames. "You have any days clear for an afternoon meeting the rest of this week?" he asked.

"No, I'm pretty busy this year between the holidays," Jamie replied as his eyes narrowed, remembering what Eddie had said about finding the leak in his office. Foster had been well aware of his trip to D.C. and had been instrumental in laying out that first meeting. If he was prying for information about this week, he wasn't going to get it. "First few months in the position and all. I have a lot of reports to finish. Why don't we shoot for sometime later?" This time it was his turn to lie. In truth, he had a very light schedule right now and had decided to focus on tracking down that car and proving to himself and his family that he wasn't imagining things.

"Okay, well I guess I'll just check in with you next week," Foster said disappointedly. He had been told to make a late-day appointment with Jamie so that he was kept out in the city after hours one evening. It didn't seem like there was much of a chance of him changing his mind given the tone of his voice either. Reagan seemed pretty cold this week and Foster began to worry that he may have been found out. That would prove to be a real problem given Jamie's close ties with the Commissioner's office.

"Sounds good," Jamie offered as he continued to keep his eyes on the man while he left the floor. There was a definite sense of uneasiness in Foster's voice today. Unfortunately there was no real way for anyone in the NYPD to check into the agent, with the exception of his father perhaps. Frank Reagan always seemed to have a contact somewhere who could do what needed to be done. Jamie trusted Agent Reeves from Washington though, and the Reagans had brought him in as clean FBI hands in the Denison investigation last year. It might just be time to give him a call and see what he could find out from his side of the interagency wall.

With his office now empty once more, and a few hours left in his day, Jamie clicked back to the surveillance videos on his computer in the continued hope that he could spot a particular blue needle in a rather large haystack.

###

Danny Reagan was scheduled to work Wednesday's swing during the only tour he and Baez were assigned all week. Seniority has its advantages during the holidays. Normally he preferred the early morning start of first shift, but the later hour had given him a chance to recover fully from yesterday's leftover holiday food fest with the boys at home, and he was feeling rested and raring to go as he entered the 5-4 precinct and made his way back to the locker room. He nodded to a few of his fellow officers and prepared to switch out his personal weapon for his duty piece. A look of confusion crossed his face as he reached up to the top shelf and searched the bare metal for the gun. It was not there. His heart rate kicked up a little as he tried to remember exactly what he had done when they clocked off shift on Friday. He and Baez had spent the last few hours finishing up the paperwork on the Joseph O'Connor case, and then he had come in here and switched his weapons and grabbed his coat just as he had done after shift each and every day for years. It was an ingrained act, he didn't even have to think about it anymore. Now where was that damn gun? God, if he had to start the year with a new IA investigation... well, Carver would just look to ship him right out of the squad without a second thought. He and Baez had just come off of a six-month probation period after going against the Lieutenant's orders the last time.

Rubbing his stubble with worry, Danny tried to keep an even face as he walked through the pit and up to his desk. He said a silent prayer and opened the drawer where he placed his badge and gun when he and Baez were at their desks. At first it appeared to be empty until he pulled it the full length out, and a glint of silver thankfully showed the stainless Kahr K9 was there. His breath came out in a rush as he realized his loaded duty weapon had spent the entire extended weekend unsecured in an unlocked drawer. How the hell had he let that happen? Had he really been that distracted that he would have left it there when they packed up for the day? And what to do about it now? Technically he was required to report the incident on the off chance that someone had taken it and committed some kind of crime. If the ballistics ever came back as a match to his weapon he would have little proof to say otherwise. Danny closed the drawer and waited for his partner to make an appearance so he could get her input since they were both still on Carver's hit list and this would affect her as well. It would be so easy just to ignore it, but something smelled very wrong here. Danny realized with a start that something similar had happened to Jamie when Sonny Malevsky had been trying to warn him off of the Blue Templar case although his weapon had never been recovered. He flashed back to that night in the bar, what was it that Sonny had said after his father had confronted him?

 _"Before I take your shields, there's a question I want answered. Which one of you killed my son?" Frank had turned his back at this point and everyone jumped as he angrily swept the bottles off the bar and the glass crashed against the wall. He was so angry he was shaking, and Frank Reagan never lost control of his emotions like that. "I'll ask again," he'd said with more venom in his voice than Danny had ever heard. "Who shot my boy?"_

 _"Just so you know, it's not like he wasn't warned," Sonny had replied as he finally stepped forward. "Just like the rookie over here, again and again. But you people, you just don't take a hint, do you?"_

 _"Not from you, we don't," Jamie had said in utter defiance. He'd had to hand it to the kid, for a rook in a situation like that, he had stayed completely cool under fire._

 _"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. It was nothing personal against Joe," Sonny said._

 _Danny remembered his cold reply like it was yesterday, "It was personal to us, you scumbag."_

 _His father had remained starkly calm after the dishonored detective pulled a gun and pointed it up through his jaw, "We all die, Sonny, it's just a question of when," he muttered just before the trigger was pulled._

"Just so you know, it's not like he wasn't warned," Danny muttered the quote over to himself once more. "Just like the rookie over here, again and again. But you people, you just don't take a hint, do you?"

Christ. Jamie had been warned by the Templar before.

Again and again.

Sonny had said so moments before killing himself. Joe had been warned before he was shot and killed. Now Danny had been threatened. He was sure of it now. There was no doubt in his mind that he had left that gun where it belonged in his locker, just like his brother had that day long ago when he was still riding with Renzulli. They might be able to rattle the kid with self doubt after all the things that he'd gone through, but they made a mistake trying to get to him. Danny Reagan wasn't about to take this lying down. This time it felt personal... whoever it was had come looking for the Reagans instead of the other way around. Without waiting for Baez, he grabbed a pair of gloves, unloading the weapon before placing it and the bullets in an evidence bag. Why the change? If the things that Jamie had suspected were true why would they focus on him all this time and then suddenly switch their target? Unless it was because they'd already tipped Jamie too far over the edge. Eddie had said he was hyper aware and protective... he'd put in a new security system and now he was carrying. He wasn't the easiest target anymore.

The experienced detective grabbed the gun and headed towards Carver's office. Time to secure it as evidence although he was going to ask his Lieutenant to keep the reason behind that on the down low for now. If Jamie was right, and the Templar was back there was no telling who was involved this time. Someone had enough reach in this very precinct to set him up like this. Then it was off to see his brother to tell him what happened and to find out where he was at with the investigation.

Danny had a sudden sick feeling in his heart that the kid had been right all along.

* * *

 _So big brother finally has the personal experience he needed to be convinced. Now it's time for Jamie and Danny to team up together and figure out who's behind this. The identity of the plaid man is revealed in the next chapter and he has his sights set on both of them!_


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Danny's probing phone call found Jamie still in his office at 1PP after hours, pouring over the videos for the second day in a row. His younger brother could hear the nervous vibe in his voice as he asked him to stay put and wait for him to come over. Jamie knew then without a doubt that something else had happened and he struggled to control the anxious turn of his stomach before making a quick call to assure himself that Eddie was already back home and settled in with Kaylin.

If he had any doubt about the seriousness of the situation it was quickly dispelled by the look on Danny's face as he came into the office. This time his older brother was quick to close the door and sit down without any fanfare.

"What's happened?" Jamie prodded apprehensively.

"My gun disappeared out of my locker this weekend," Danny answered as he watched his brother's reaction; Jamie's eyes snapped up and his body soon followed suit and he began to pace back and forth behind his desk. "Someone took it and put it back in my unlocked desk drawer. No way I left it there when I clocked out on Friday."

"Damn it! This doesn't make any sense, Danny," Jamie swore as he stepped back and forth. "If someone is really trying to resurrect the Blue Templar, then why broadcast it to us like this? This is entirely too personal. I don't think that the group has come back at all. This is one or two individuals recreating the events from last time to taunt me." He rubbed his face and stared back out the window at the city lights. "Us, I mean," he corrected softly. "Someone's playing us like they want revenge... but who, and why now?"

"I don't know, kid," Danny admitted, still feeling as though Jamie had been holding back on him. _Maybe that was because I didn't take him seriously the first time he came to me,_ he thought ruefully. "Eddie said you came clean to her and told her everything. What don't I know?"

Jamie turned around in anger. "You spoke to my wife again? Is that why she was upset after dinner on Monday? You had no right, Danny!"

"Hey! I tried to talk to you outside when you came to the house and you froze me out. I knew there had to be a reason why you had your gun with you. You haven't told me everything, and I know some of that's my fault. You tried that day in my car and I wasn't listening, but I am now though," he insisted as he stared at his brother. "Jamie, I'm right here and we're going to see this thing through together. Now what is it, and why are you here alone so late at night?"

Jamie finally relented and sat back down at his desk. He looked his brother in the eye and added the details about the Chevelle sighting in Washington and the facts he learned about the dead cat through animal control and forensics. He shared Eddie's thoughts about the leak in the office and the importance of tracking down the car. Danny sat back silently through the whole tirade and eventually put both hands on top of his head. "It really looked like Joe, you're sure?" he finally asked as he covered his face. That revelation had shaken him to the core as well.

"It really did, I swear. I mean I only had a split second to see while I was trying to get my ass out of the way before it got flattened, but the profile looked just like him... that's what set off all of my nightmares, I'm sure of it." Jamie added shamefully. "We need to take this to Dad right now, Danny," he said, shaking his head. It felt surreal to him that they were even in this situation again.

"We can't, he's out of town until Friday night. I just checked with his office before I came in here. Some kind of threat assessment symposium all the way over in Vancouver. They just left like two hours ago. He mentioned it when we were at the house the other day, weren't you listening at dinner?"

"Danny, they make these magical things called cell phones now, you know."

"Yeah, right weisenheimer. Like this really something you're prepared to get into with Dad over the phone while he's all the way on the other side of the country? 'Cause I'm sure as hell not gonna do that. He'll go nuclear up there in the klondike with no way to help and put us under house arrest in his basement or something. You and I are going to work this case for the next two days until he comes back, and the moment he does, we're going to be waiting for him with all the details of whatever we've found. Right now we don't even have a direction to go in."

"That's not true. I think Foster's dirty," Jamie revealed. He had to admit that Danny was right about their father, and he wasn't ready to be locked out of the investigation right now, not while they were finally making some progress. "He came to see me unannounced yesterday trying to scope out my schedule for the week. I told him I was busy writing reports. Agent Reeves in D.C. is checking into him... I trust him. If we can find out who's pulling his strings, maybe we can figure out who's behind this."

"That's a good place to start. What else you got?"

"I finally found the damn car on the surveillance cams about twenty minutes ago, right after you called. Headed west out of Manhattan across the Lincoln Tunnel and onto 495 around noon the day I saw it. It's about a four hour drive to D.C. from that point. He would have had plenty of time to get there and back." Jamie turned his monitor around and showed the footage to his brother. The fact that he had solid proof of its existence had been a great relief to him as Eddie had said. He wasn't imagining things. This was all too real now.

"That's really good work, kid. Could you get anything off the tag?" Danny sat forward and leaned on the desk. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Yeah, I ran the plates, and they came back stolen from upstate though. Only matching registration dead ends to an empty lot in the warehouse district near the docks by the West Midland Ferry. But he screwed up there," Jamie said with great satisfaction. "He tried to avoid the cameras at the toll booths and used an E-Zpass."

"And that came back to a real address?"

"Nope, fake also, but we can track him now. Dave at TARU is setting up an alert. If that car goes through the tolls again, we'll get an instant notice of where and which way he's headed."

"That's a big mistake to make from someone who's been this methodical so far," Danny worried. "Whoever it is might be banking on that to draw us out."

"So we'll have to be careful then Danny! Geez, I don't know what else you want me to do! At least I'm trying! I've been sitting here for the past two days trying to nail down that car!" Jamie shouted as his frustration level was building. So far the only thing that Danny had contributed was the fact that his gun had mysteriously changed locations.

"Hey! I never said you weren't! I mean, God, you've really done some great work here already," Danny replied. "I might just be trying to get up to speed right now, but I'm going to point out something I see as off or dangerous! You're so wrapped up in this, kid. I mean I understand, and I'm really sorry that I left you on your own for so long."

"Okay," Jamie said as he accepted the apology and calmed himself back down. "Can you think of anything else then?"

"Yeah, back to the car. You know one like that in really good condition... that's at least forty-five grand or more now. That's a hell of a chunk of change to drop to make a point like this."

"It's personal, Danny. I mean they didn't have any qualms about killing Joseph O'Connor either. That poor guy bought it just because of his name."

"Baez and I cleared that, I told you. That was nothing more than a junkie dipping into the stock and his supplier making an example."

"I don't believe that for a second, Dan." Jamie whispered. "No way. The car though, I mean if they are obviously so angry and intent on making this as authentic as possible, you don't suppose..."

"That it's our car? Wow. It can't be though, can it? I mean it was completely totalled when you put it into that concrete wall. I don't know, kid... To me the bigger question right now is why? Why now and who's left that has a reason to come after us like this?" Danny wondered. "You know if he hadn't offed himself right in front of us, the only person I would have pegged for this would have been Sonny Malevsky. He was twisted enough to come up with all of this crap, but he's obviously as dead as they come."

"Sonny," Jamie murmured. Suddenly his heart clenched and fell as if someone had filled it with concrete as he remembered his face... those beady little eyes and that evil thin smile. The same eyes and mouth that had followed his daughter through the tree lot that night and smirked at him as he handed her glove back. "OH GOD!" he exclaimed as he went completely white and pulled his waste can out and hovered over it, nearly hyperventilating and trying to breath through the sudden wave of nausea that struck as hard and as fast as that first night in the Washington hotel.

"Jamie!" Danny shouted as he came around the side of the desk and put his hand on his brother's back, trying to steady him. The kid looked like he had just seen a ghost... or worse. "What the hell is it?" he implored as the younger man struggled to control himself. "What's wrong? What did I say? Aw, you know what, never mind now! Just keep your head down and try to breathe! C'mon, kid! You can't get like this all the time!"

"Sonny," Jamie gasped finally as he was able to sit up. Danny quickly got some water from the carafe on the table near the door and offered it to him.

"Damn it, kid, don't tell me you've seen him too!" his older brother worried as he walked back around the desk and slumped down in a chair. Maybe his baby brother had lost his mind after all. "Jesus, you're back to scaring me now."

"Not... Sonny," Jamie stammered as he finally looked up and managed a deep breath. "Older, but the same eyes… that mouth. Must be a relation. Father, uncle or much older brother maybe. I saw him!" he insisted as he read the doubt on his brother's face. "A few weeks ago near our home when we were out buying our Christmas tree. This older guy in a flannel jacket... he was following Eddie and Kaylin and I thought... I thought he was after my daughter so I confronted him, but she had dropped her glove and he said he was just trying to give it back. God, Danny! He was standing there right next to my wife and daughter! I dreamed about him that night!" He turned back to his computer. "What the hell was his father's name?" he demanded as his hands flew over the keyboard.

"I don't remember anymore," Danny admitted. "Michael? Mark? Something like that I think."

"Mason!" Jamie exclaimed finally after a frantic search. "Here it is in Sonny's obituary. Survived by his father, Mason H. Malevsky from Quantico, Virginia... Quantico? As in the FBI?" He looked up. That was it... it had to be, the connection to where this whole thing started. "That's where Foster comes in then too," he murmured. "He was originally stationed there. What do we do now?"

"It's time get to the what's what and the who's who, as Dad would say. We need to find Mason Malevsky," Danny answered as he looked at his brother while nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Before he finds us."

* * *

 _Next up, Jamie has his final nightmare. One of them will come true for the most part. Which one might it be? Believe it or not, but we're only just over halfway through the chapters. :-)_

 _ETA: Thank you judithya88 for your correction! There's one in MD too but not the right one!_


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

After the meeting with his brother broke up, and they both went their separate ways, promising to touch base immediately again the next morning so they could continue with the case, Jamie drove home that night with a deep sense of dread. Part of him wanted to steer the car clear away, to park somewhere isolated and lock the doors and wait for the nightmare he could feel welling up inside his brain… to keep it hidden from his wife and child because right now he saw it as a sign of immense weakness. Danny was not going to go home that evening and wake up in terror. He might be restless, he might not sleep well… he might even go home and have one too many beers, but he was not going to wake up crying out or screaming in front of the people he loved the most. The only thing that kept Jamie's car on course was the knowledge that Mason Malevsky was out there somewhere and he had to be close to them. He had followed them to the tree lot. The cat in the bag had been dropped off the morning after the giant snowstorm had snarled travel across the whole city. It had not been frozen when they found it. That meant that Mason most likely, if it was indeed him, had walked... _walked_ to their house to throw it up on their porch. Danny, Linda and the kids were safer over in Staten Island. Jamie knew that for whatever reason he was the primary target and as long as this man was free, he and his family faced the greatest risk.

Eddie had his supper still warming for him when he finally made it home. She could tell by the strained look on his face as he walked in the door and put his things away that something was up, but she decided to let it go until after he'd had a chance to eat and play with his daughter for a bit. Kaylin pulled out all the favorite puzzles she'd received as gifts and spent more than an hour of the floor with Jamie, laughing and hiding the last piece as they were putting them together. After her bedtime finally came, and she went down to sleep, Eddie went in search of her husband and found him sitting quietly in their den. It was where Jamie kept his desk and was the closest thing to a man cave in the house. Many of his personal photos from when he was young were displayed on the shelves and sometimes when things were tough he liked to sit quietly in there and recharge. Tonight, though, she was determined to invade his space and find out what was up. She knew Jamie had spent several hours with Danny, and she was unsure of how that might have gone based on her brother-in-law's stark promise to her earlier in the week.

"How's it going?" she asked softly as she sat in the chair next to him. "Did you have any luck with the videos today?"

"I found it," he whispered, almost as if he was afraid to admit that it was actually something tangible that could hurt his family and not a figment of his imagination. "You were right. It came out of Manhattan through the tunnel and headed south the morning we flew to Washington."

Eddie sat back and searched his face to gauge his emotions. "So this is real then?" she asked. "All of this stuff… someone is doing these things to us on purpose."

"Yes," he admitted as he stared straight ahead at the picture of him and Joe at his high school graduation just after he had given his valedictorian speech and received his diploma. His older brother had his arm wrapped around his shoulder and they were both sporting mega-watt smiles. Joe had been so proud of him that day. He wished he had been there for the one from Harvard, but his brother had been killed just weeks before that commencement. There were no pictures of that day displayed in any of the frames up on the wall, and there had been no smiles either. Jamie had walked out on stage and given his speech, because that's what his brother would have wanted him to do, but other than that he had been detached from all the other proceedings. He actually felt bad because it had been Sydney's day to shine too, and she had been torn between being the girlfriend of the grieving graduate, and wanting to go off and celebrate with her friends. In the end he had told her to go out with them, and he had gone back to their little apartment off campus with Danny and Erin who had come to stay with him.

"Who?" Eddie's voice brought him back to the present. "Do you know who it is?"

"Danny and I, well… we think that it might be Sonny Malevsky's father, Mason," he admitted to her. "He has ties to the FBI... we found out he was part of the Behavioral Analysis Unit down at Quantico, and it looks like Agent Foster is involved as well. Danny's duty gun was compromised this weekend, just like mine was back when I was investigating the Templar."

"Why do you think it's him?" Eddie asked with some obvious fear invading her voice. A ticked off FBI agent with a personal vendetta against the Reagans was far more unsettling than some kind of delinquent teenager from down the street.

"I... I recognized him… finally," Jamie explained as he turned to look at her. He grabbed her hand. "Eddie, it was that man that followed you the night we took Kaylin to get the tree. The one who gave her glove back. He has Sonny's eyes. It was him," he said firmly. "I guess you were right about my sixth sense. Maybe that's why I went off on the guy. Honey, if you see that man anywhere near you or Kaylin you need to take action. I don't want you going anywhere alone until Dad gets back and we find him or the two of you have a protective detail."

"He was near our daughter?" she hissed. "He's been that close?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it," he said as he pulled her in for a hug. "I know how angry that makes you, and believe me if I saw him right now I might kill him with my bare hands, but Eddie, we can't stop living our lives. We're just going to continue to be very smart and very careful about things until this is over. We're going to go to and from work together and I'll make sure security is alerted at 1PP."

"What about the play Friday night? I'm supposed to go with Erin, Linda and Nicki. I don't want to disappoint them; they spent a lot of money on those tickets, but I can't leave my daughter now!" she cried as she started to tear up. She completely understood now why Jamie had been flipping out about a threat against them. He wasn't the only one that was risking a nightmare over this now.

"You'll be fine with that…" he smiled. "Please don't think that you have to miss it. The four of you will be together, plus more than fifteen hundred other theatre goers. I'll have Kaylin with me. Gramps invited us, Danny and the boys over for pizza and to watch the hockey game. Dad will be back later that night and then we are going to sit down and get to the bottom of this once and for all. Mason has no idea we're on to him right now. This will all be over soon, I promise." he said as he kissed and hugged her tight. "I love you Edit Katalin Janko Reagan."

"Love you more, Jamison Henry Reagan," she replied.

"I know that," he smiled and closed his eyes as he leaned down and kissed her belly. "That goes for you too, little baby no-name Reagan. Pretty soon we'll get another close look at you and if your Mommy agrees, we can finally see who you really are so we can stop calling you that. You might get a complex," he said lightly as he looked up at Eddie. "Now why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed. I'm not tired yet. I think I'll hang out down here and catch the sportscenter rerun."

"Nice try, Reagan, but you're not fooling me at all," she said, shaking her head. "You're afraid you'll have another nightmare tonight, aren't you? You have no intention of coming upstairs." She knew she was right on the money by the shadow that crossed his face. "I'm not leaving you. Either we both go up to that bed or I'm staying right here with you tonight. I may not be able to stop it but I'll be here for you."

"Eddie, please," he begged. "I don't want to do that in front of you again. Just let me be alone... go upstairs and close the door and let me get through this by myself."

"Excuse me, have we met before?" she countered. "Because I'm not sure what on earth would possess you to think that I would do anything like that. I've had your back from day one and I'm not going anywhere. Now, your choice... bed or couch," she challenged with her eyes flashing.

"Bed," he conceded sadly, knowing the battle was lost, and they both made their way upstairs after turning out the lights. When they were ready for sleep, Jamie lay down on his right side clutching a thick body pillow while Eddie wrapped her arm over him and spooned from behind. The night stayed peaceful for many hours until she woke up as she felt his body tense and begin to tremble, but he remained silent and otherwise still for a time before he started to speak in an eerily low, calm voice.

"Why? Why are you doing this to me? What do you want?"

 _He was standing in the dark in the middle of a one-lane bridge with a raging river on both sides and no guard rails. His whole body hurt, but for some reason he felt the need to walk across this span. It was just him, the road beneath his feet and the torrent until a pair of headlights cut through the frigid air and came towards him. He stood still as they approached, the familiar sound of that motor rumbling, his feet now frozen firmly to the earth. The car parked and idled just twenty or so feet away, its lights illuminating the icy swirls of spray being thrown forth by the angry river around him, the engine revving for that final burst of acceleration that would see him to his fate. This was it, there was no place left to run or hide. A solitary figure emerged from the driver's seat and stepped towards him, silhouetted by the harsh glare of the two beams. It was Joe, of course it was Joe, and Jamie knew that this was, literally, the end of the road for him. It would stop here tonight. Eddie, Kaylin, the baby and the rest of the family would be forced to go on without him. He had failed them, but before the inevitable happened, he couldn't help but take this last opportunity to speak up._

 _"Why? Why are you doing this to me? What do you want?"_

 _"It's time for you to pay for what you took from me," the figure said simply. "I lost everything that night, and now I will take everything from you and your father and leave your family as broken as I am."_

 _"JAMIE! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! IT'S NOT JOE!" Danny's frantic voice screamed out from behind. "STAY AWAY!"_

 _Puzzled, Jamie turned his head towards the sound. What was Danny doing back there and where had he come from?_

 _Just then a blinding light overcame him and it was over. He felt disconnected as he watched his body fall to the ground in a heap and roll gently over once as it came to rest at the edge of the road. He was helpless as he saw Joe raise his arm again, the light glinting off the silver plated gun in his hand, ready to fire at the spot behind him where Danny must be standing. "Say your goodbyes too, Danny," he laughed. "We all die, it's just a question of when, remember?" Jamie could see the trigger start to slide back and his heart jumped in that instant as there was a sudden flash of gunfire and the sound echoed across the cold ravine…_

His body suddenly jerked, and he gasped for the air he had forgotten to breathe in during those last moments. He found himself weighed down as Eddie frantically clung to him with an arm wrapped around his chest and used all her strength to stop him from getting up this time and hurting himself again. He knew she was speaking to him but the words were like a distant hum in his ears and he could not discern their meaning. All of them were gone. His father was to be left alone without any of his sons. It would destroy him and the rest of the Reagan family forever.

"Jamie!" Eddie's voice was finally breaking through. She was kissing and whispering to him as he sat motionless on the edge of the bed. "It's over, baby… please look at me! You're okay now. I've got you!"

"It's over," he repeated shakily without turning around. "He... wants it to be over. All of it."

* * *

 _Next up, the brothers close in on Mason, but was that part of his plan in the first place?_


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Oh I am so excited for tonight! Eddie, you look fantastic!" Erin gushed as Jamie and his wife made their way into the family home on Friday evening. Linda and Nicki were already waiting. Eddie's hair was down in soft, loose curls and her shapely black dress showed off her figure to perfection even with a small baby bump clearly visible now. Kaylin was in her father's arms, wrapped in a blanket again… scoop and run being the key phrase of the day once more. "It's a good thing you guys got here already, the car service is due to arrive in ten minutes to take us uptown. I miss the days when you were uber punctual, Jamie."

"Travelling with a toddler," her brother reminded her as he gave his sister a kiss on the cheek and flipped Kaylin upside down so that she giggled as Erin tickled her tummy. "Not to mention a pregnant wife who had to try on at least twenty different outfits before she settled on this one because none of the others seemed to fit right anymore. There was no way I was going to touch that with a ten-foot pole. I think I recall you were always late to everything when Nicki was in the oven too, sis," he smiled.

"Ten," Eddie defended, "not twenty, and soon the choice will be easier. I'll just pick a tent."

"Oh, Ed," Jamie smiled, "I think you'd look really beautiful in canvas for all in _tents_ and purposes." He quickly laughed and ducked as a purse came swinging at his head.

"Did you see that Kaylin? Your Mommy was trying to take me out. Now what would she ever do without me?"

Eddie's eyes were beaming as she looked over at him and leaned in to whisper suggestively into his ear, "Tonight's not the night to find out. I think you owe me something for that comment, Mr. Reagan. I'll be looking to collect later when I get home. I won't fit in this dress much longer and didn't get all dolled up just to go to a play, you know."

Jamie leaned back with a smirk as he brushed her cheek with a kiss, "Oh, I'll be here, Mrs. Reagan. You can count on it." He had promised his wife on the way over that tonight would be strictly a boys night in with Kaylin… some pizza and the New York Rangers hockey game on TV, while he and Danny waited for their father to come home so they could discuss their latest findings with him and finally reveal the truth about the situation. The pair of brothers had worked virtually nonstop since Wednesday night tracking down an array of clues in the case, and Eddie had wanted his assurances that he would take the night off and stay put so that she could go out and enjoy her evening on the town knowing that her husband and daughter were safe and secure in the family home.

The four women were laughing and talking away as they walked out of the front door after the car service arrived. They passed Danny on his way in with the pizza he had stopped to pick up on the way over from work. "See ya later, dear!" Linda waved her goodbye from the far side of the group, not even pausing for a peck on the cheek before climbing into the back of the town car.

"Did you see that?" Danny griped as he walked up the steps with the boxes in his hands. "Not even a kiss! So happy to be off for a night out with the girls... just forgets all about me. I'm telling you kid, wait until you've been married for a few more years, and Eddie starts taking you for granted too!"

"Mmm, I got an invitation for some extra curricular activities tonight," Jamie revealed with a cheeky smile as he followed his brother into the kitchen and set Kaylin free to make a run for the toy box. "Maybe you're just getting too old now, bro."

"I could have done without hearing about that, and wait until you have two kids," Danny muttered as he set the food down and pulled a beer out of the refrigerator. "Be prepared to take a backseat to everyone else. You'll be picking up the takeout and waving goodbye to her, too."

"Game's coming on!" Henry yelled from the living room where he was with Jack and Sean. "They're just about to drop the puck!"

"Be there in a minute, Pops!" Danny answered loudly. "Hey," he whispered and turned to Jamie while pulling him back by his shirt sleeve, "did you come up with anything on whoever originally bought the car from the auction? I thought you were checking out a lead?"

"Yeah," Jamie confirmed. "Came in just before I left the office tonight. Somebody named Andy Bello off of route 219, about twenty-five miles northwest of the city. Up by the Passaic River. I figured we might scope it out tomorrow after we talk to Dad, see what he thinks."

"Andy Bello? As in Lieutenant Alex Bello from IA and your redhead Agent Anderson? Two more names from the Templar. Jesus, doesn't this guy have another script?! And route 219… that's just north of the exit from the tunnel where you tracked the car with the E-Zpass, right? Sounds promising…" Danny mused as he rubbed his face. He knew his father was due home in just a few short hours, but he was into this case like a dog on a bone and it gnawed on him not to follow something like that up. "That section is pretty remote up there, they could be keeping the car anywhere."

"I know that, Danny," Jamie hissed as he pulled out of his brother's grasp. "That's why I figured we'd go there in the daylight tomorrow. Too many narrow, twisty roads along the river. We'll never see anything in the dark, besides I promised Eddie I would take the night off and watch Kaylin. We need to be here when Dad gets home."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Danny murmured as he turned away and grabbed a plate and a slice. "I just wish we'd get another hit on that car. Nothing since your buddy Dave put the alert on it. Now that we have a general area to look in, if we knew it was out we might be able to go up there and cut it off on the way back home."

"Patience, grasshopper," Jamie smirked. "I think Baez deserves a raise for putting up with you all this time. You'd drive me nuts."

"Yeah, well, this guy messed with my gun! Carver ran the serial number on it when she put it into evidence, and the one that was left there wasn't even mine! It's been switched out and I don't intend to take that lightly when I…" he stopped suddenly in mid-sentence as both his and Jamie's phones began to vibrate in unison. They glanced down at their respective devices and their eyes came up and met again. "Bingo!" Danny exclaimed. "There it is!" The Chevelle's E-Zpass had just tripped at the tollbooth entering the Lincoln tunnel. It was coming back into the city. "We've gotta go sit on the ramp from the return lane to route 219!" he exclaimed. "We'll catch the bastards going back home tonight!"

"Danny, we can't! I have Kaylin… I promised Eddie I'd stay here and Dad is coming back… Not to mention the fact that we don't have any jurisdiction out there. That's state police territory. We have to coordinate with them first! Plus like you said, it's a stupid mistake for them to make. This could be a setup!"

"Geez, you sound just like an FBI liaison now and not a cop," Danny sneered impatiently. "We have to coordinate with them," he mocked. "C'mon, we're only an hour or so away round trip. Pops and the boys can watch Kaylin, and if we don't see anything, or the pass doesn't trip again coming back through the tunnel, then we'll be here before Dad and the women get back. We might not get a chance like this again!" He paused when he saw the unconvinced look in his brother's eyes and knew he had to go for the hard sell. "I'm going whether you come with me or not. My wife doesn't tie me down, and Eddie's a cop too, she should understand!"

"Danny, please don't," Jamie begged. He knew by the stubborn set to his brother's jaw that he had virtually no hope of dissuading him, and he didn't think he could live with himself if he let him go out after these people on his own. He was busy weighing that against the disappointment and wrath of his wife if she found out. "Okay," he finally relented. "But we're back here in two hours or less, no matter what. Deal?"

"Yeah, sure. Deal. I'll go tell Pops that I need to go out for a bit and follow up a lead on one of my cases, and you're coming with to back me up. Grab our pieces out of the lockbox and let's get going. We'll take the Jeep. I've got you parked in any way. The sooner we check this out, the sooner we'll be back."

###

A rough chuckle escaped the lips of an interested observer as he watched the two brother's hurriedly pull away from the house in Danny's car. _So stupidly predictable,_ he thought as he put his own car into gear and sped off to the designated spot to meet his accomplice. Time to make one last run across the tunnel in the Chevelle. Tonight was the night he had planned to smoke the two Reagan brothers out, and he knew that they would follow that car back out of the city and into the open where he could finally take care of them both, once and for all. He fingered the remote device that he held in his hand, the matching component now installed on the brake lines of the green Jeep that had just pulled away. One touch as they came up over the big hill that led down to that lonely stretch of river and Frank Reagan would be busy planning two funerals upon his return from the trip from Vancouver. That is, if they ever managed to find the bodies.

It was the way Sonny had wanted it, and this time Jamie Reagan and his cocky brother were not going to get away unscathed.

* * *

 _Big chapter next, one of my very favorites from the whole story!_


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Danny, it's getting late," Jamie said nervously as he sat in the passenger seat and fidgeted. They were pulled off on the side of the road and watching the northbound ramp to 219 as they waited for a particular blue car to drive by. "We've been sitting here for an hour already. Dad's plane is due to get in at eight. It won't take him long to get home."

"Remind me never to take you on another stakeout, kid, and I thought you were more worried about Eddie?" Danny griped. "What does it matter when Dad gets home, huh? The girls won't be there until at least eleven, and if I know my wife and our sister, they're gonna have a nightcap somewhere before calling for the car to take them back so we have hours yet. Do you want to find this guy or not?"

"Yeah, of course," Jamie admitted. "I just have a really bad feeling about this," he muttered anxiously as he pulled his jacket off and readjusted his uncomfortable seat. "Cripes, Danny. This thing is like a rock. There's no room. I'm sitting here and this damn side holster is digging into my ribs," he said as he unbuckled and removed it, placing it on his lap. "I think it's time you get out of the stone ages and find yourself a new car. I mean, does this one even have airbags? How can you drive your family around in it and not worry?"

"It's paid for, and it runs," Danny growled as he gave his brother a sideways glance. "And yes it has a few airbags. Man, you've really become Mr. Mom lately, haven't you? I mean you were the one that used to drive around in a forty-year-old car that definitely had no safety equipment and had a dash that was hard as a rock. I can't for the life of me figure out how you came out of that accident at the pier when you totalled it with only bruised ribs."

"Just lucky, I guess," Jamie swallowed. It made him nervous right now to talk about that night with the Chevelle out there somewhere, lurking in the shadows. "Besides, it was a classic."

"Classic, my…" Danny's thoughts were interrupted as the brothers' cell phones alerted once more. "He's coming back!" he said as he slapped his brother on the shoulder. "I told ya so! Now we're going to find out where that damn car is coming from. Keep your eyes peeled for it."

Jamie could feel his heart start beating through his chest as he watched the road, mentally calculating the distance through the tunnel and the likely speed the car was approaching at. He glanced at his watch. At almost the very second he would have guessed, it was suddenly there… right turn signal blinking as it exited the thoroughfare and headed north. Danny quickly pulled out behind it but maintained his distance. They were so close to having some answers now, the worst thing they could do was spook them.

Miles went by and the hallmarks of city life and the close suburbs began to dwindle off as the area became more remote. The four-lane road soon went down to two and the Reagan brothers were left staring at a lonely yellow dotted line. Danny's eyes were straining as he struggled to follow the car ahead with his headlights off. There was a nearly full moon that night, so there was some light reflecting around, but it was soon apparent that they would not be able to keep up with the speed of the Chevelle without risking a crash on the narrowing, windy roads that followed the waterway.

"Danny, I think we need to call it quits," Jamie said after one particularly harrowing hairpin turn. "We're gonna end up off the road and in the river if you keep this up. At least we nailed the search area down. I'll call in the state cops to watch and we can come back tomorrow. That address listed on the auction slip must be around here somewhere. Even the GPS is iffy in these mountains." Jamie pulled out his phone and was soon on the line with a sergeant at the local state police barracks to notify them about the sighting and potential NYPD concern. He was sure to drop the Commissioner's name, just to get their attention, although he never liked pulling a hook like that if he could help it. He paused as he looked up. "I thought we were done, Dan?"

"Yeah, you're probably right, kid," Danny sighed as the car began a slight climb up a long hill. "Let's just see what's over this ridge and then we'll turn around and go back. We'll meet at first light and try again." Just as the car crested the hill and began a steep descent towards a narrow bridge below, an audible pop sounded and he frantically started pumping the brakes as they picked up speed.

"Danny! What are you doing?! STOP!" Jamie cried as he braced himself against the dash, still gripping his phone.

"CAN'T!" Danny shouted in desperation. "Brakes went!" he yelled as he struggled to control the vehicle and not roll it over into the ditch. His mind was racing and Jamie's prior comments about the lack of airbags were first and foremost in his thoughts. There were only a few options at this point, try to thread the needle of the narrow one-lane bridge with an out-of-control car, take it into the trees to avoid slamming into the concrete buttresses, or miss completely and go down the steep bank into the angry, swollen river below where they would surely drown.

"DANNY!" Jamie screamed as his brother opted for door number two, pulling on the wheel sharply and sending the car sideways in the last instant to slow its momentum and slam the driver's side into a row of trees right at the base of the bridge. The sound of crashing, twisting metal enveloped them as mud sprayed and tree limbs snapped from the onslaught.

And just as suddenly it was quiet.

A few moments passed and Danny slowly raised his head and took in a slight breath, just to test the premise that he was still actually alive. The shooting pain that began immediately radiating through his chest and left arm pretty much confirmed that point. He had tried bracing himself against the door in the last second and his left forearm was now pointed in an oddly different direction than it should be. He bemoaned the fact that the driver's side airbag had not gone off since the car had impacted sideways. That meant that none of the others had either. It was several more seconds before it occurred to him that he had not been alone in the car. "Jamie," he whispered while attempting to push himself back off the steering wheel so that he could turn to the right, all the while trying not to take in any deeper breaths than necessary. Definitely some broken ribs to go along with the arm. "Kid, please answer me! Are you okay?" he pleaded.

Mercifully, the car's interior lights had wound up turned on somehow so that Danny was able to see his brother when he managed to twist his body around sufficiently. It took some work to do so, and he realized that the compartment had been pushed in around him and he was trapped at this point. The passenger side seemed less damaged, but Jamie was motionless with his eyes closed and a sickly white pallor etched on his face as he remained slumped over against the door, leaning forward into the seat belt. Danny's heart stopped when he noticed a small trail of bright red blood trickling from somewhere on Jamie's right side onto the armrest and down his sleeve. "Kid!" he managed to repeat. "Oh, no, please wake up! Jamie! C'mon talk to me!" he begged as his hand reached over and slid down his brother's dangling left arm until it came to the wrist. Danny swallowed hard and prayed as he pressed.

There was a pulse.

"Thank God," he sighed as he leaned his head back down on the steering wheel in relief. Now that he knew Jamie was still with him, they needed help. He tried putting his hand down and pushing off the console when it touched something familiar. He looked over and grasped Jamie's phone. Somehow it had remained undamaged in the wreck, perhaps buffered by his brother's coat that lay next to it. Jamie had been on the phone to the local state police barracks, Danny remembered. Maybe they had heard the crash and would send help. His shaky fingers fumbled over it and he hit redial, which almost immediately connected him with the local dispatch station.

"This is NYPD Detective Daniel Reagan. Badge number 8694. We've been in an accident," he muttered as the operator came on. "Near the bridge north of Webber Drive off route 219. My brother and I are trapped," he said. "Please… we need help," he whispered as he received her assurances that units were being sent right away. He put the phone down immediately though, forgotten in an instant as Jamie began to stir with a sharp breath and struggle to right himself in the seat. He glanced his older brother's way, appearing to be somewhat in shock. Danny could see now that the blood was coming from a cut on the side of Jamie's head. Judging from the matching spidering crack in the passenger side window, the kid had taken a hell of a hit on impact.

"Danny, what's… happ… nn..." Jamie was struggling for words and obviously not all there. His left hand was slipping down slowly to undo his seat belt. Danny tried to reach over and push it away.

"It's okay," his older brother tried to assure. "I've already called for units. They'll be here soon. I… can't get out of my seat right now or I would help you. Just stay still. You're gonna be okay."

"You need help, Danny," Jamie said, almost robotically, as he finally managed to unlock the belt and his right hand began to pull on the door latch. "Gotta... get you s'm help."

"No! Jamie! Stay in the car!" Danny pleaded as he tried in vain to reach over and grab his brother before he got out of the vehicle, but the edge of his shirt just slipped through his fingers as Jamie managed to open the door. "I've already called for help! They'll be here any minute! Stay in the car and wait for them to come!" he gasped as the air came with a painful price.

"Gotta get… s'm help," was the only soft reply.

"JAMIE! STAY IN THE CAR!" Danny bellowed through the broken windshield even though his chest felt like it was on fire now, those broken ribs grating as he tried to take in a deep breath. He needed to stop his brother from wandering away in a daze nonetheless, he'd be no match for the rough water of the river if he managed to accidentally slide down that steep bank laying before them.

Jamie paid him no heed though, his mind was already set on what he needed to do.

He stumbled forward until he was standing in the dark in the middle of the one-lane bridge with a raging river on both sides. His whole body hurt, but for some reason he felt the need to walk across this span. It was just him, the road beneath his feet and the torrent until a pair of headlights cut through the frigid air and came towards him. He stood still as they approached, the familiar sound of that motor rumbling, his feet now frozen firmly to the earth. The car parked and idled just twenty or so feet away, its lights illuminating the icy swirls of spray being thrown forth by the angry river around him, the engine revving for that final burst of acceleration that would see him to his fate. This was it, there was no place left to run or hide. A solitary figure emerged from the driver's seat and stepped towards him, silhouetted by the harsh glare of the two beams. It was Joe, of course it was Joe, and Jamie knew that this was, literally, the end of the road for him. It would stop here tonight. Eddie, Kaylin, the baby and the rest of the family would be forced to go on without him. He had failed them, but before the inevitable happened, he couldn't help but take this last opportunity to speak up.

"Why, Joe? Why're doing this to… me...? What'd you want? Danny needs s'm help."

"It's time for you to pay for what you took from us," the figure said simply, a small grin spreading across his face as he realized from all appearances that Jamie was almost completely impaired. This was going to be easier than he thought. "We lost everything that night, and now we'll take everything from you and your father and leave your family as broken as ours is."

"JAMIE! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! IT'S NOT JOE!" Danny's frantic voice screamed out from behind. "STAY AWAY!"

Puzzled, Jamie turned his head slightly towards the sound. What was Danny doing back there and what did he need again?

Just then a blinding light overcame him as the man standing in front took advantage of his distraction and reached behind his own back, drawing a weapon and swinging it hard to pistol whip Jamie mercilessly across his left cheekbone. It was over. He felt disconnected as his body fell to the ground in a heap, rolling gently over once as it came to rest in the middle of the road. Blood began pouring out of the deep cut as his vision blurred, and he was helpless as he saw Joe raise his arm again, the light glinting off the familiar silver plated gun in his hand, ready to fire at the spot behind him where Danny was sitting trapped in the car. His brother was about to be killed with his own stolen duty weapon. "Say your goodbyes too, Danny," the man laughed. "We all die, it's just a question of when, remember?" Jamie could see the trigger start to slide back and his heart jumped as the adrenaline hit when he forced himself to his knees before lunging forward in a desperate attempt to save his brother. In that instant there was a sudden flash of gunfire and Danny gasped at the sound as it echoed across the cold ravine…

One of men before him ricocheted off the barrier and dropped to the ground to lay perfectly still as the other tumbled backwards off the bridge railing and into the swift icy current below. Danny valiantly tried to keep conscious as he heard the roar of the Chevelle taking off amid the sounds of approaching sirens, but his eyes slipped shut and he was whispering Jamie's name over and over until he finally stilled.

* * *

 _Told you it was a big one! Next Frank is back in the picture to deal with the aftermath. Please don't forget to review! I appreciate them!_


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

 _Saturday, 5:20 a.m._

Frank Reagan sat numbly in an uncomfortably hard, flat plastic hospital chair during the quiet of pre-dawn Saturday morning, impatiently waiting for the sun to come up through the open blinds in a few hours and end this horrid night. He shifted his attention back and stared at his oldest boy lying still in the bed, willing him to wake up. Linda had just excused herself to take a moment to freshen up and change into something more comfortable from the bag that Baker had retrieved from their house in Staten Island. Danny had been life flighted back to NewYork-Presbyterian in Manhattan the evening before after the state police troopers had arrived at the scene of the accident, finding him still trapped in the vehicle. As a result, he had undergone emergency surgery to repair some minor internal abdominal bleeding, four cracked or broken ribs and a snapped left forearm. His father was thankful for the news that he was now listed in stable condition and expected to wake up at any moment.

Erin and Nicki were camped out in the waiting room while Henry remained at the family home with the younger children. And Eddie… well his newest daughter-in-law was not eager for anyone's company right now and had closed herself off from the rest of the family. It had been an extraordinarily difficult night, and Frank's heart was already overwhelmed with sadness.

As he rested his eyes for a few seconds, his mind flashed back to that moment when Garrett had first received word; they had just landed at Laguardia and were taxiing back to the terminal after a long flight back from Vancouver when the DCPI's phone came to life with multiple messages and voicemails. His longtime friend and advisor had gasped and turned to him with a look that Frank could read in a heartbeat.

" _Frank," he'd whispered with great sadness, not wanting to draw attention to his boss in the middle of a crowded airplane... still this was not news that could wait to be heard until they were in a more private area._

" _What hospital?" he muttered after closing his eyes. It could only be one thing... who now? His father? Eddie? God, please not the baby again he prayed._

" _NewYork-Presbyterian," Garrett had managed to choke out. "There's been an accident… it's Danny and Jamie."_

 _That had hit him like a thunderbolt out of the sky. Both of his sons. No it couldn't be both of them, fate could not be that cruel. Both were good young men with loving families. The pride and joy of his soul. One with a small daughter and new baby on the way. The other with two teenaged boys that needed his firm guidance to help them through these years. He'd already said goodbye to one son, and he was certain he would not recover if another was gone too soon. Or both, please no, not both…_

Danny's right hand twitched and Frank refocused to the present, drawing the chair closer to the bed so that he could be in his son's line of sight when his eyes opened. He needed to speak to him… to get answers about the events from last night… to understand just what the hell had gone on out there on that lonely stretch of highway by the river. Why were they there in the first place? How had Danny's Jeep ended up smashed against those trees, and what exactly had happened to his youngest son? At this point there was no else who could provide any information. The accident reconstruction team would be heading out there shortly at first light, but it would take days or weeks to learn the truth from them. Frank and the rest of the family needed to know what took place before that so they could begin to process it.

Despite the initial promise, Danny's eyes remained stubbornly closed and Frank sat back in his chair to wait again. _That's how these things always went,_ he thought to himself sadly, a mad rush to get there and then endless waiting to find out if the person you loved was alive and well or already gone...

" _Frank, what about Linda and Eddie?" Garrett had asked when they were already in the SUV with lights and sirens wailing as the detail was rushing them towards the NewYork-Presbyterian hospital complex on the upper west side of Manhattan. At this time of the day, with Friday night traffic, it was going to take them nearly forty-five minutes to get there._

" _All of the girls are at a play in the city tonight. I can't remember which one. Garrett… I can't remember which one!" Frank had panicked uncharacteristically. His normal steel trap memory had failed him. "Erin got them all tickets for an eight o'clock show for Christmas. I didn't pay attention to the name of the play, it could be any of them… I remember she said it was new." He had glanced at his watch. It was ten after eight. "They'll be in the theatre for hours with their cell phones off. We can't reach them if we don't know where they are!"_

" _Your father, then," Garrett pressed. "He might know."_

" _I need to call him… he's at home. He must have Kaylin and the boys if Danny and Jamie were off somewhere else. Send a uniform over there right now to sit at the house. I want him to stay there with the kids until we have some news."_

A low moan escaped Danny's lips and Frank leaned forward once more to observe his son. Danny's whole left side was mottled in various shades of blue and purple with small cuts tracing across his cheek. His arm was elevated and bound up in a thick wrap all the way up to his shoulder. It had taken a plate and eight screws to piece his shattered left radius back together. He'd be in a cast for months and relegated to desk duty if he managed to make it back to work by then. Danny hated being a house mouse. The state police officer who had accompanied him to the hospital told Frank that the driver's side of the car had taken the brunt of the force in the crash, folding in around him, almost as if he had purposefully steered into the trees on that side to avoid the steep descent of the bank leading into the water where the force of the current would have surely drowned them both in seconds. Frank knew though that given an option, Danny would have chosen to take the greater impact upon himself in an effort to spare Jamie in the passenger seat… good intentions that may have ultimately gone wrong as his younger brother had apparently managed to get out of the vehicle while he was disoriented and injured just before the rescue crews arrived. If he had only stayed in the car...

Another twitch and a deep breath… suddenly Danny's hazel eyes slipped open, and he scanned around the room briefly before locking on his father's face. "Dad," he rasped in a dry voice, taking several heavy blinks and a long hard swallow.

"Hey," Frank greeted him with a teary-eyed smile. "It's good to have you back, son. You just rest easy. You've had some surgery, and I'm sure you're very sore but the doctor said you'll be fine in just a couple of days. Linda stepped out for a minute. She'll be right back."

"Okay," Danny said softly as he closed his eyes once more and he tried to get his bearings. Things were still fuzzy as the drugs were wearing off and his mind seemed slow and numb.

"Danny," Frank began pressing, as much as he knew the pain this would cause, he was growing impatient for answers now and Linda would be back soon. Her first instinct would be to hide the truth from her husband for now... to protect him... and his father was not willing to wait any longer. "Son, we need to know what happened last night. Do you remember anything?"

Did he remember? Of course he remembered every single damn detail of that horrifying night, right up until the seconds after that gun went off and…

"Jamie," he whispered as his body tensed and his eyes opened wide. Why hadn't his father mentioned his little brother yet? If he needed to know what happened it was because no one else had been able to tell him. That must mean...

"Where is he, Dad?" Danny asked fearfully as a cold wave grew within his heart. He tried to sit up further but his body failed to cooperate and the pain from his broken ribs and arm sent him reeling back down against the bed. He remembered watching in horror as his brother had collapsed to the ground and remained completely still after throwing himself against the man from the Chevelle. The impact had forced the blond imposter to fall backwards over the railing into the river just before he was about to fire a bullet through the broken glass of the windshield and straight into Danny's chest while he sat trapped in the car. There had been a brief struggle in the split second before the gun had gone off… Jamie was already weak and concussed as a result of the car accident and the vicious blow to the head he had taken when Danny had distracted him. In fact, his older brother had already said his final prayers when that gun was leveled at him, and he was as shocked as the other man when Jamie had managed to get up again. The kid hadn't really stood a chance, but in the end it had been enough. He had saved Danny's life in a sudden, selfless act of courage.

"Where? Dad, I need to know," Danny demanded again in a panicked whisper, pleading now for an answer, but afraid of what it might be. "Where's my baby brother?"

Frank pursed his lips as he took his son's hand in his own. "He's here, Danny," he finally answered softly as he looked down, no longer meeting his eyes. "Just down the hall. Eddie's in there with him. He was airlifted here with you, but it… it doesn't look too good for him right now. I'm so sorry, Dan."

* * *

 _Okay, okay, I know you guys are dying to know what happened to Jamie now! As a thank you to all of my dedicated readers and reviewers, I'll post a bonus chapter later this afternoon that might reveal some more answers for a pre-Thanksgiving treat. :-)_


	25. Chapter 25

_This is a bonus chapter for today. Be sure to read Chapter 24 which was posted earlier._

* * *

Chapter 25

Frank was standing by the window in Danny's room, surveying the city and waiting for the grim news he had just delivered to his oldest to sink in. He braced himself for the inevitable questions to begin and thought back to the evening before when he and his entourage had finally arrived at NewYork-Presbyterian…

 _Friday, 8:55 p.m._

The chief of staff was already waiting for him as the Police Commissioner was quickly escorted a private room just outside of the emergency department. At this point all he knew was that both of his sons had been found unconscious by the New York State Police at the scene of a single vehicle accident just off of route 219, about twenty miles northwest of the city. They had both been deemed as critical on site and had been life flighted here to the closest major trauma center. From the initial reports Garrett had managed to track down while they were still en route, Danny had to be extricated from the car and had a broken left arm and possible internal bleeding. Jamie was found unresponsive on the ground away from the vehicle with probable serious head injuries, but the rest of his condition was unclear.

"How are my boys?" Frank had demanded in a booming voice the second he cleared the doorway. There would be time for formalities later.

"Commissioner," Dr. Michael Gregory quickly addressed, the tension in the room was palpable. Frank Reagan was a very powerful man in the city, and his presence demanded immediate respect. "Sir, we are currently treating both of your sons. The oldest, Daniel, was the driver and came in unconscious with a broken arm and chest injuries after being pinned in his vehicle. Our scans detected internal damage, so he has been taken to surgery to repair that. The last report I have from the general surgeon is that the bleeding was not too serious and has been stopped and his vitals are strong. Our orthopaedist will be going in once that is done to fix and stabilize his arm, then he will be taken to recovery as soon as they are finished with him."

"And my other son?" Frank prodded with some relief at the news that Danny's injuries did not appear to be as serious as he'd feared. "Jamie, how is he?"

"I am Jamison's attending. He remains unconscious, but his vitals are also stable now. It appears though that he suffered multiple head injuries and he has just been brought back from CT where we performed a thorough scan. There is some swelling in his brain but it does not appear to be critical at this point, and I would expect him to be waking up soon. He'll need to be watched carefully over the next 48 to 72 hours to make sure there is no bleeding or pressure increases. He does have significant bruising with a fractured cheekbone and some facial cuts that will need to be addressed by our plastic surgeon. A Sergeant Williams from the State Police is waiting for you. He will explain what they found on scene. It does appear that Jamison got out of the vehicle under his own power at some point and then collapsed against a concrete guard rail. I believe that is most likely how he suffered the second trauma to his face. I can take you down there now to see him if you'd like."

"Yes, please," Frank breathed in relief, nodding to Garrett on his way out of the room. "Give my father a call and let him know what we've heard in case the girls make it back to the house before I've had a chance to tell them." His boys were battered a bit, but this could have been so much worse, he consoled himself as he followed Dr. Gregory down the hall to a treatment area. He took a deep breath to steel himself before he stepped in and moved closer to the form lying still on the gurney. Despite his preparations, he still hissed as he took in Jamie's swollen face with it's deep purple bruising and heavy cut across his cheek that looked like it had been steristripped together for the moment. His neck was still encased in a cervical collar and at the moment he bore little resemblance to the young man his father knew and loved.

"He's been trying to come back to us," a friendly nurse with a respectful smile addressed him from the opposite side of the bed. "Mumbling something about the car for the last several minutes, but he's not quite there yet. Maybe if he hears a familiar voice it will help."

Frank nodded and reached down for his son's hand before softly running the back of two fingers across his unmarred right cheek. "Jamie," he spoke clearly in a tone that had been imprinted on all of his children's hearts since the day they were born. "Son, it's Dad. You were in a car accident but you're going to be okay now. You and Danny are both safe here at the hospital. Do you understand? Can you hear me?"

Jamie responded with a small groan and something unintelligible but his fingers gave Frank's hand a small squeeze and his father was encouraged.

"C'mon now, Jamison," he admonished a little more firmly. "You can do better than that, son. I know it. You need to open your eyes and speak to me." Well that might be a little tough, Frank thought with regret, he doubted Jamie would be looking at much through that swollen left eye anytime soon.

"Dad!" Jamie managed to finally blurt out clearly as he struggled to wake himself. Frank began to grow concerned after another minute though as the boy's breathing had become ragged and his movements were stronger and more erratic. Dr. Gregory quickly stepped back into the room as the monitors showed a dramatic increase in Jamie's respiration and heart rate. He was suddenly combative and trying to pull himself up on the table, clutching his father's hand with one eye open and unfocused. "Dad! Joe was," he gasped as three sets of hands were now trying to restrain him. "I saw him, Dad! We were accident in... with Chevelle… of the Blue Templar because... It's back... Joe and Sonny… Joe… he was going to shoot Danny. You have to him stop! He wants to kill us… he wants be over!" Jamie cried as he was shoved back down and Frank could vaguely hear the doctor ordering the nurses to push something immediately. "No! Tried but dead now! Sorry! Didn't mean... but had gun and was going to Danny hurt!… No, Dad, please don't th'm let… m'm… so s'rry..." His words began to slur again as his body sank back down on the bed and he was still once more. Frank was still trembling in disbelief at Jamie's outburst as Dr. Gregory pulled him away from the bedside.

"Commissioner, can you tell me what that was all about?" he demanded. "Who is this Joe person and why does he want to hurt them? There were no indications anyone else was with them in the car."

"It's his other brother," Frank said in shock as he looked up in the doctor's eyes and gave a heavy swallow. "He was killed more than seven years ago in the line of duty by members of a group named the Blue Templar. And the accident Jamie was talking about… the one with the Chevelle… that was more than five years ago. He was speaking about these things as if they happened today. His brother never hurt him, they were very close. What's wrong with him?"

"You're sure?" Dr. Gregory mumbled, and then explained himself when he saw the look in Frank's eyes, "well of course you are. I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to question you about that. It's just that I didn't expect this type of issue given the results of the scan we just saw. We must have missed something," he said shaking his head, "or there is a problem just developing."

"What type of problem?"

"Your son is displaying signs of retrograde amnesia… problems with past memories and expressive aphasia… he's mixing up his words. He's combative and that can also be a sign of a traumatic brain injury. He needs to be sedated heavily immediately to reduce any elevated intracranial pressure and to prevent a secondary injury. Second impact syndrome is a condition causing rapid and severe brain swelling and often catastrophic results." The doctor was scanning Jamie's chart and making notes as he went. "He needs to go back to CT right now in case there's a bleed," he called over to the nurse. "Call down and get him booked back in immediately and push that second round of sedative. Be sure to stay with him and watch his respiration rate carefully in case he needs to be intubated."

"Dr. Gregory, Jamie is sensitive to any kind of IV narcotic," Frank warned. "Even in small amounts… the effects can sometimes last for a long time. Isn't that dangerous with a head injury?"

"Yes, it can be but I'm afraid we don't have a choice right now," the doctor explained somewhat irritably. He was not used to his orders being questioned. "We need to stop further damage from occurring if we can. Right now he is still breathing well on his own so we will hold off on ventilating him unless that becomes necessary. This could be a long process, Commissioner Reagan. Brain injuries like this with an extended retrograde amnesia and aphasia can be difficult to treat. In Jamison's instance it looks as if he sustained multiple blows to the head from opposite directions. The combination of a severe initial injury, secondary insult, and diffuse swelling that doesn't show up immediately on the scans is associated with a poor outlook, particularly in adults. I'm sorry, I wish I had better news. We'll be moving him to the ICU on the fourth floor when he comes back up. You can go wait upstairs. Your other son will be brought into recovery right across the hall from there."

Frank stood in shock as he was abruptly left alone in the corridor as the doctor and nurses rushed away with his son. Jamie had been awake and talking; injured and confused, yes, but he had recognized his own father and responded to him. How could he seemingly be recovering one instant and then considered critical and swept away from him in the very next? It was with a very heavy heart that Frank pulled out his cell phone and dialed his father at home while he made his way towards the fourth floor. They needed to find Linda and Eddie and get them over here as soon as possible.

* * *

 _So poor Frank is still in the dark about what is really going on and everyone thinks that Jamie has been completely scrambled at this point. Next up, Danny comes clean with his unhappy father who takes the investigation on himself and soon realizes that no one is out of danger yet._


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

 _Friday, 10:55 p.m._

"That was such a great production!" Nicki enthused as the four ladies walked out of the theatre together arm in arm. "Thanks for getting us the tickets Mom and Aunt Linda! I had so much fun!" Eddie had been accepted as another sister and aunt immediately after joining the family the previous summer and she cherished the close ties she had formed to each of the other Reagan women. They had decided to walk a few blocks north to have a nightcap at a quaint little wine bar and cafe before calling the car to take them home. "I loved the fact that they encouraged the audience come up to join in on some of the songs. Aunt Eddie, you really rocked that one ballad! You have a great voice!"

"Aw, thanks Nicki!" Eddie laughed. "Jamie would have been mortified if I would have gone and got up on stage while he was with me. I think he would have had flashbacks to a few of the drunk Eddie karaoke nights we've experienced in the past."

"Oh, he would not," Erin scolded. "You've got him so wrapped around your little finger. He can't take his eyes off of you. I've never seen him happier since he's become a husband and father, and Kaylin… well she's just daddy's little girl, isn't she? She's gonna get away with murder with him for the rest of her life, you know. Trust me. I can still work Dad better than my brothers ever did."

"What about the new baby?" Nicki asked. "Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?"

"No, um, and I don't want to find out," Eddie admitted, not sure how the fact-loving Reagan family was going to take that. "Jamie is dying to know. It's killing him, but I want to keep the suspense going as long as possible. He's been calling it little baby no-name Reagan lately. Speaking of Mr. Reagan," she said as she pulled out her phone and turned it back on, "I guess maybe I should check in with him to tell him we'll be late and make sure he survived the night with Miss Kaylin and the boys." She was still laughing as she glanced back down at the screen. A missed call and a voicemail from both Frank and Henry. Nothing from Jamie. With sudden trepidation she wondered why the two older Reagan men had been trying to reach her; she bit her lip as she swiped at the voicemail from her father-in-law and held the phone up to her ear. Erin, Linda and Nicki suddenly became aware that they had lost a member of their group in step and turned back to see Eddie stop and drop her purse to the ground as her hand came up to her mouth.

"Eddie, honey, what is it?" Linda asked, as she was the first one to reach her. "Are you okay?" she asked, clutching her sister-in-law's hands.

"No... I can't," Eddie barely choked out, shaking her head. "Linda... here..." she said as she shoved her phone towards her. "What was he doing out there?" she whispered to herself angrily. "He promised he would stay with Kaylin tonight."

Linda pressed the play button and held the device up to her ear. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed after a few seconds. "Erin! Call for the car or see if you can hail a cab!" she pleaded as she reached down and grabbed Eddie's purse. "Danny and Jamie have been in an accident. They've been flown to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital... that's only about ten minutes from here! Danny's been in surgery. Your father called hours ago!"

Erin wasted no time running to the street and signalling for a taxi while both Linda and Nicki took Eddie's arms and guided her forward, placing her between them in the back seat. Erin jumped in the front with the driver and they were quickly on their way to the point just a few miles north of them where the two Reagan brothers now lay down the hall from one another while their father paced anxiously back and forth between them looking for answers.

###

" _Where? Dad, I need to know," Danny demanded again in a panicked whisper, pleading now for an answer, but afraid of what it might be. "Where's my baby brother?"_

 _Frank pursed his lips as he took his son's hand in his own. "He's here, Danny," he finally answered softly as he looked down, no longer meeting his son's eyes. "Just down the hall. Eddie's in there with him. He was airlifted here with you, but it… it doesn't look too good for him right now. I'm so sorry, Dan."_

 _Saturday, 5:30 a.m._

"What's wrong with him?" Danny finally managed to mumble through the shock as he stared at his father's back. He already knew whatever it was had to be bad. Frank was in his traditional pose whenever he had a major problem and there was a window with a view available, standing with his back to the room and surveying the city he loved and felt responsible for. "Was he shot?"

Frank spun around with a puzzled look on his face. That was unexpected. Why on earth would his son think that? "No, uh, of course not, Danny," he stated, suddenly nervous that his oldest boy was also further affected by his injuries. "You two were in a car accident, don't you remember?"

"Of course I remember, Dad, but..."

"He's still unconscious. The doctor thinks it might be some time before it's safe to let him wake up. They are keeping him heavily sedated right now and they're running more tests."

"Why? Why is he sedated? Dad, what's wrong with him? You're not telling me anything!"

"He's got serious head injuries," Frank replied softly, worried about how to tell his oldest the next part. "They're concerned with possible brain damage, Danny," he said as his voice cracked. "Jamie was definitely concussed and making no sense when he woke up down in the ER. He was combative and talking about the Blue Templar and the accident with the Chevelle while seeing Joe try to shoot you. Jamie's stuck on some events from years in the past as if they've just happened. The doctor is worried about some type of diffuse swelling and amnesia. He told me the best course of action was to drug your brother to try to minimize any further damage. He had multiple blows to his head, Danny."

"NO! DAD! GOD, NO!" Danny cried out as he finally managed to push himself up a little on the bed and reached for the button to raise it, the reality of the situation was hitting him full force now. This was all his fault. Jamie had wanted to go to their father with what he suspected weeks ago and he had stopped him; suddenly the premise of house arrest in the basement sounded like a good idea. "Please! You need to talk to the doctors. They're wrong! You have to make them stop and let him wake up!"

"Danny, I'm sorry, son. I know this is upsetting, but you have to calm..."

"NO! You don't understand, Dad! This is all my fault! Jamie was just trying to tell you what really happened!" Danny was coughing and grimacing at the pain in his chest caused by the exertion of trying to get this out. His stitches were pulling unmercifully, and he had to sit back and take a few breaths.

"Danny, you need to slow down! Easy son! You're not making any sense. Breathe! Now what is it you're trying to say? Why were you out there last night?"

"We were there trying to find the car. The Chevelle. Jamie had it tracked. The Templar _is_ back, Dad, or at least someone who wants us to think that. A guy's been tormenting Jamie dressed like Joe and driving that car since you were in Washington. He _was_ there last night and he did try to shoot me when I was pinned in the Jeep! Jamie saved me even though he was already hurt bad. They tampered with my brakes just like they did for him and I crashed into the trees. I tried to take the hit on my side so he would be okay, but he smashed his head on the window and then when he got out of the car that guy came and pistol whipped him hard…"

"WHY THE HELL IS THIS THE FIRST TIME I'M HEARING ABOUT THIS!?" Frank roared. He couldn't believe his two sons had kept something like this from him again, and now Jamie was possibly being mistreated in a dangerous manner for something he might not even have because of it. There was no way to tell at the moment.

Linda came rushing back to the room when she heard her father-in-law's shout. "Frank, what's the matter? You can't be yelling like that in here! Danny just had surgery! He needs his rest! There's other patients on the floor!"

"Get out and close the door, Linda," Frank demanded in a frosty tone that meant utter business. She froze in the entryway. He had never spoken to her in that voice before. His eyes were locked on his son. "Daniel and I need to talk."

"Frank, I..." Linda started to protest until Danny waved her off.

"Do it, Lin. It's important. I'll explain later." He looked back to his father when she reluctantly did as they asked. "Please, please don't be angry with Jamie... he never wanted to keep this from you... he wanted to come to you weeks ago, but I talked him out of it. I should have at least let him call you on Wednesday when we figured out who was behind everything, but I knew you would make us stop investigating so I convinced him to wait until you got back. At first I thought he was just tired and stressed from working all the time and seeing things because he had been sick with that stupid food poisoning and the nightmares came back, but I was wrong! I didn't believe him and he was right about everything!" He tried to push himself up further on the bed, but failed miserably with one arm. Frank did not budge to offer any help, and Danny knew then that this was about the angriest he'd ever seen his father. "You said Eddie was with him... didn't she tell you any of this when she got here? She knew... Jamie told her because of all the nightmares he's been having. She finally dragged it out of him last week."

"I didn't give her the details of what he said last night! Do you think that I'm going to tell your brother's panicking _pregnant_ wife when she arrived that he woke up yelling about his long-dead brother trying to shoot you? Daniel, are you out of your mind?!" Frank was starting to pace now. "All we've told her is that Jamie was disoriented and seemed to have some type of amnesia. She's in there with him worried sick right now that he might not even remember her or the baby or Kaylin if he does wake up! God, Danny! What a damn mess!" He stopped and looked at his son once more. "Now let's have it! Everything! From the top!"

Danny took a few breaths and then started. He explained about Jamie's close call with the car in Washington and the evidence left with the dead cat adopted by an L. Gonsalves and about the open window and the toy bear. He told his father about the man in the tree lot with Sonny Malevsky's features, the junkie named Joseph O'Connor who was tossed out of the van during the FBI meeting and the fact that his own gun had been taken from his locker. He told his father that they suspected it was Mason Malevsky behind everything and that Jamie believed Agent Foster was involved. Even though he was getting very tired, he forced himself to continue and explain the events of the night before in great detail… everything from the alert that came through while they were at the house, to the crash, to those final seconds where Jamie had somehow found the strength to get back up off the ground and do the unimaginable… to choose one brother's life over the other… to save Danny while sending someone, who at that moment he believed to be his beloved Joe, back to a certain death in the angry river below. Danny ended in silence there, his voice and emotions completely spent. He needed to close his eyes and rest now.

Frank had sat back down in the chair and listened intently with few interruptions; the expression on his face remained unreadable. Without a further word to his oldest son he got up and left the room. It wasn't until the door closed behind him that he muttered an ice cold threat to himself.

"It's time I get those sons of a bitches, once and for all."

* * *

 _So Frank is a wee bit ticked off and on the hunt now. Next up, Eddie struggles to cope with what's happened while they all wait for news._


	27. Chapter 27

_Hope everyone had a nice holiday!_

* * *

Chapter 27

"Where's Dad?" Danny asked Linda anxiously. She had come back into the room immediately after Frank left and spent the time nervously sitting in the chair next to the bed ever since. He had slept for a short while to relieve the exhaustion, but his father had not returned since leaving in a stunned silence several hours before.

"I don't know, honey," Linda admitted, still a little upset with how she had been dismissed by her father-in-law earlier. "He hasn't really spoken to anyone except for Eddie and the doctors. Erin said he was in the conference room down the hall with Garrett for the most part, but then they just left the hospital about an hour ago without telling us where they were going."

"What about Jamie?" Danny asked hopefully as he peered over at her. "Is he any better?"

"They've stopped the drugs," Linda confirmed. "But you know how he is. No one knows if… _when_ he'll come out of this," she quickly corrected and re-emphasized. "It could be a few hours… or days really, you just never know with the way he reacts to the medication, and it won't be clear how much damage there might be until then. Danny, he did take at least two severe blows to the head and he wasn't completely lucid when he woke up the first time. Frank told Eddie that Jamie really did seem to think it was Joe who was out there with you two by the car. There still could be issues. The doctors are walking a thin line with him now. If he starts showing any signs of problems, they're going to have to put him back under."

"I really screwed up again, Lin," Danny admitted with a heavy sigh as he brought his good hand up to rub his face. "I don't think I've ever seen Dad so angry before."

"He's not the only one," Linda admitted softly. "Eddie was beside herself. Erin's with her trying to keep her calmed down and Pop is bringing Kaylin over in a little while to see if that helps. It's not good for her to be so stressed and upset in her condition. This whole family could really use a few tranquilizers right now, or at least a big bottle of scotch..." she trailed off, not wanting to add to the pile of Danny's worries either.

###

Erin was balancing two large cups of decaf tea and a bag of various healthy breakfast options from the cafeteria when she returned to Jamie's room. Frank had charged her with looking after Eddie in his absence, and she was desperate to get her to eat and drink something after a mostly sleepless night. So far though, she had been unable to convince her sister-in-law to leave her post by her husband's bedside. Nicki had been sent back to the house with Detective Baker to help Henry with Kaylin and the boys. They were all due to return within the hour, and Erin was hoping that having the little girl come would sort of snap Eddie out of her shock.

"I found decaf Chamomile," she offered as she made her way through the door and glanced at her brother's bed. He appeared to resting comfortably but there was no imminent sign he was about to wake up any time soon either. "And I picked up some yogurt, juice and plain bagels. You need to eat something before Pop gets here with Kaylin."

"Thanks, Erin," Eddie acknowledged flatly from her seat on a small couch without making a move for any of the items. She had very nearly shut down completely after arriving at the hospital the night before where she had been immediately presented with Dr. Gregory's dire assessment of Jamie's condition. Diffuse brain swelling. Amnesia. Poor outcome. Those were the only words that registered with her at the moment. She was lucky to remember her own name, let alone the possible circumstances that might have taken the brothers out of the city, and had been nearly blindsided by the facts again when Frank had suddenly appeared in the room to question her after speaking to Danny. Everything he said was true, she had confirmed, but right now the only thing she cared to focus on was laying in a hospital bed in front of her. Erin had thus far been unable to get her to so much as remember the code to the house alarm so they could retrieve a change of clothes, and as a result she was now dressed in a set of scrubs and hospital socks, her cute black dress and heels tossed to the side on the floor in the corner.

"Look," Erin said more forcefully as she moved the cup and one of the containers of yogurt directly in front of her, "Jamie's gonna wake up soon, and I don't want him thinking that we didn't take care of you properly. He'll make my life a living hell if anything happens to you or the baby on my watch. Please?"

"What if he wakes up and doesn't care because he doesn't remember us?" Eddie asked tearfully as she picked up the tea. "Or if he doesn't wake up now at all... I need him so much," she said while laying a hand on her belly and closing her eyes. "I can't do this without him. He has to be here for Kaylin and the baby. They need to have their father!"

"And they will," Erin assured. "Eddie, the doctor gave you that whole long gloom and doom speech about traumatic brain injuries, second whatever syndrome and comas last night before he had all the facts. I'm sure that really scared you, but Dad just told you earlier that if they had known what really happened it most likely would have never come to this. He was waking up before… we just have to wait now until the drugs they gave him wear off."

"He also said that Jamie seemed to be sure that it was Joe who was going to shoot Danny, and he was sorry for hurting him. He never said 'the guy that looked like Joe' or anything like that. I don't know what to think anymore, Erin. He could be mixed up in the dreams he's been having. These last few weeks have already been so hard for him... those nightmares... what's going to happen to him after this if he does come out of it? He thinks it makes him look weak and tries to hide it from us. He's never going to be able to get help for it if he really needs too."

"Eddie, we'll make sure..." she began, but was interrupted by the entrance of Dr. Gregory. He may have been the chief of staff and a neurosurgeon at this large metropolitan hospital, but Erin had come to loathe the man for his consistent lack of a decent bedside manner, especially when it came to upsetting Eddie. He never seemed to offer her anything but negativity when he was in the room. Erin had even spoken to her father about having Jamie transferred elsewhere, but that was impractical at the moment given his condition and the fact that Danny recovering here as well.

"Ladies," Dr. Gregory acknowledged them curtly as he walked over to the bed. He was more than slightly annoyed with the fact that Eddie had spent the entire night on the couch in the room. Normally visitation for his critical patients was strictly limited because he did not like to deal with the families, but in this case an exception had been made by the hospital board president along with a substantial increase in security because of Frank's status, and the doctor's rather fragile ego was bruised so he was taking out his frustrations in a completely unkind way.

Erin and Eddie watched carefully as he performed his standard neuro check on Jamie and made notes in his chart. There was no outward response to the tests save for a slight grimace when the doctor rather over forcefully applied a sternal rub. Eddie grabbed Erin's hand, it hurt her heart to know someone was intentionally trying to cause her husband pain. "No change in his coma scale," Dr. Gregory told them bluntly without looking up or turning around. "The sedation should have worn off by now; there should be some improvement. This is not very encouraging. We'll do a repeat CT this afternoon." With that he left the room again, never bothering to address the women any further or ask if they had any questions.

Eddie let a sob escape as she got up and went to stand next to the bed. She tenderly caressed Jamie's chest where the doctor had raked his knuckles up and down. It had to hurt for him to press that hard, she reasoned as she pushed the gown away and hissed when she saw the nasty mark it had caused, right on top of the ugly bruising left by the seat belt. Her hand moved up, and she lightly traced the bandage on his swollen cheek, now vibrant in angry red and blue hues. The plastic surgeon, Dr. Heffner, had been in overnight, taking more than an hour to carefully close the deep cut with multitudes of tiny stitches, but he told them he wouldn't be able to repair the fracture to the cheekbone until Jamie's condition had stabilized and he could take him up to the OR for the minor surgery. In contrast to Dr. Gregory, he had been very kind, and held Eddie's hand as he gently explained what needed to be done. There was no rush, he assured her and promised to check back when he came in for the next shift.

"Jamie, you have to try to do better than that the next time Dr. Gregory comes in," Eddie pleaded as she took his hand and brought it up to hold next to her face. "Please? For me? I hate seeing him do those things to you. I'll even make you a promise that we can find out the sex of the baby on the ultrasound next week if you'd like. I don't want any more surprises. I just need you to wake up," she cried as she reached over to kiss his forehead and Erin came up behind her to put a reassuring hand on her back.

"Eddie, please don't listen to that doctor," Erin told her. "He doesn't know Jamie and he's not paying attention to us. This is still from those drugs, I'm sure of it. Look how long it took Dad to wake him up when they were down in D.C.; he said it was more than twice what it should have been. How about the time last summer when he and Kaylin were in the parking garage collapse and he broke his collarbone? That nurse gave him a little IV pain medicine and he was high as a kite for hours. C'mon, you gotta admit that was entertaining. He's always been a cheap date."

Eddie did manage a hint of a smile at that memory... the day Kaylin had come into their lives. She and Erin had taken the little girl back to the treatment area after retrieving her from the social worker only to find Danny in tears, completely undone by some drugged Jamie karaoke version of Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer." The fun had gone on for nearly two hours before they had come to take him away to fix his shoulder, and everyone's faces had hurt from laughing so much.

Her smile slipped away though as she thought about her brother-in-law down the hall. Right now he was the unfortunate focus of all her pent-up hormonal anxiety and anger. Jamie had promised he would to stay in last night at the family home and watch Kaylin while he waited to talk to Frank so she could enjoy her evening out without worry. Instead, his brother had talked him into going on some wild goose chase after that car which had brought them all to this place right now, on top of the fact that he had encouraged her husband to hide his suspicions from his own father all this time. If Jamie had only gone to Frank right away, none of this would have ever happened, and if something was seriously wrong with him, Eddie didn't think she would ever be able to forgive Danny for that.

* * *

 _Next up, the plaid man comes back into the picture just as Frank starts to put the pieces together. Will he figure out what Mason's plan is in time?_


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Frank Reagan stood next to the railing of a small one-lane bridge that spanned some rather impressive rapids on a remote section of the Passaic River and stared at the roiling, cold water below. His breath was coming in short, enraged bursts and his stomach was turning, not only from the sight of the mangled green Jeep that was being pulled out of the nearby treeline by a tow truck, but also because of the rather significant pool of frozen blood that lay at his feet. Jamie's blood. His trained eye could follow the events of the night before laid out in the red trail before him. His son had been bleeding moderately from the initial blow he suffered to the right side of his head during the accident when the car struck the trees, the glass in the passenger side door was smudged in dark crimson at the base of a crack spidering outwards like a web. There was a line of small drops staggered on the ground from the vehicle door to the middle of the asphalt at the base of the bridge, and then a more substantial spatter there where Jamie had gone down the first time after been struck heavily by the butt of the gun. Then there was this larger puddle near the side where he had fallen a second time after pushing that man over the railing before he could shoot his brother, thereby saving Danny's life. It was obvious that Jamie had remained absolutely still in the dark on the cold ground in that spot for some time before the state police, who had been first to arrive at the site, rendered any first aid or the medics treated him. The officers hadn't realized there had been a passenger who walked away from the car until after they had started trying to extricate Danny.

Frank could watch as the scene played out in his mind's eye and it brought up a few more questions. What was the identity of the man who went into the river and who was it that drove the Chevelle away? Search and rescue was busy hunting through the riverbanks downstream in hopes that the first could be answered. It was highly unlikely that anyone would have survived such a fall into the icy current below.

As if he could read his boss's mind, Garrett stepped out of the SUV and walked hurriedly over while scanning a text message he had just received. Frank heard the steps of his DCPI's leather soles come across the gravel behind him but did not turn around. He could tell by the pace of the footfalls that something important was about to be divulged.

"They've found him," Garrett stated, "about three-quarters of a mile down from here, washed up on the bank."

Frank sighed in relief and pushed his sunglasses back. "Who is it?" he asked.

"No ID yet, but the sergeant on scene insists that you come down and have a look for yourself. He said it's the damndest thing he's ever seen."

Frank took one final glance at the stained ground below before moving off. There was still no news from Erin about a change in Jamie's condition, which meant of course that there was none to report yet. "Let's go then, we need to find out who this bastard was."

###

Henry Reagan straightened himself up as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out into the hallway on the fourth floor of the hospital. He had a small hand in his own and he carefully guided his little great-granddaughter towards the nearby waiting room. She was looking around inquisitively with her big blue eyes since her Pop Pop had promised that Mommy would be waiting for her. Jack and Sean followed solemnly behind, still rattled by the news that their father and uncle had been in a serious accident, and Nicki and Baker completed the entourage. One other lone man remained in the car and quickly hit a button for another floor. He smirked as the doors closed in front of him. No one paid him any mind as their thoughts were focused entirely on Jamie and Danny and their other family members who were anticipating their arrival.

Linda was awaiting them as they turned the corner and she rushed over to hug her two sons and assure them that their father was resting just down the hall and he was going to be okay. Erin peered around the corner from Jamie's room when she heard the familiar voices and smiled. She turned around and disappeared for a few seconds before coming back through the door with an arm wrapped around Eddie and the two made their way down the hallway. Henry let go of Kaylin when they were near, and the little girl ran up to her mother where she was immediately swept up in a tight hug and peppered with kisses. After greeting the women, Baker walked off to double check with the security detail that had been posted on either end of the hallway. The rest of the group turned into the large waiting area where Linda and the boys stayed there with Nicki, Kaylin and Eddie while Erin escorted her grandfather down the hall.

Henry was more than anxious to see his grandsons. They stopped in Jamie's room first where the older man sadly laid his hands on the boy and said some soft words, shaking his head in anger at the visible bruising. Erin stood next to him, arm in arm, and wiped the tears from her eyes several times. She had struggled to stay strong in front of Eddie, but allowed herself to let her emotions go a little now. Henry gently squeezed her hand before heading down the hall alone to the next room where he knew the oldest boy had to be torn up inside over what had happened, and judging from what Erin had told him, his father's reaction to it. He knew that Danny would never purposely hurt his younger brother, but the circumstances in this instance had turned out very badly and it was going to take both his son and oldest grandson some time to come to terms with it.

Danny was sitting up, despondently pushing the food around the plate on his lunch tray when he walked in. He gave Henry a sad smile and then teared up as his grandfather walked over and grabbed the back of his neck to pull him in for a kiss on the top of his head. "I'm so sorry Pops," he whispered. "I really screwed up and let everyone down this time."

"Don't go there Danny," Henry commented. "That's a dead-end street, son. You'll see, Jamie's gonna be fine just as soon as he wakes up, and your father's going to find the SOB that did this to you both. Everything else can be fixed once you two are back up and around."

"Eddie hasn't even stepped across the hall to say hello though; she's really upset with me, isn't she?"

"She'll come around too, Danny. She's got way too much on her plate right now and she's scared. We brought Kaylin in with us and she's got her down in the waiting room. It's what she needs right now... that and having Jamie wake up. You just have to be patient with her."

"I need to see him too, Pop. It's driving me crazy knowing he's just down the hall and I can't go talk to him!"

"I know that. Once they let you get up and into a chair, he'll be waiting for you to go in there and watch the Jets game tomorrow night, eh? Maybe they'll even stick you two in a double room by then to keep each other company. Now you better cheer up a little bit. Linda's gonna be in here in a few minutes with the boys and you don't want them to see you looking all gloomy, do you?"

"Yeah, alright, Pops, I'll try," Danny conceded as he sat back and pushed the tray away. "I can't eat anything. I just wish Dad would get back so we know what's going on."

###

Frank stepped out of the car after a short drive and was directed down a small path towards the water where a yellow tarp had been pulled up over the body. Garrett followed carefully after him. The air coming off the river was damp and cold and he drew his coat a little tighter as he approached. He had been to thousands of crime scenes over the years, and so was usually able to remained professionally detached for the most part. This time, however, he felt a deep burning rage at the man that lay there unmoving, the one who had tried to kill not one, but two of his sons last night and may have succeeded in leaving irreparable harm in his wake.

"Commissioner," Sergeant Williams from the NYSP greeted him. "I'm glad you were able to come out here. I'm not sure what to make of this, sir," he said as he crouched down and pulled the corner of the cover back. Frank and Garrett both stared down at the body in disbelief. There lying in front of them on the rocky ground was a near carbon copy of Joseph Conor Reagan, from the hair right down to the face. The only reason that Frank's world didn't spin completely out of control in that instant was the fact that a rough tear could be seen across the side of the realistic latex mask the victim was wearing. It was no wonder Jamie had been convinced he had seen a ghost... from a distance in a moving car or with his vision and senses impaired by a blow to the head... it would have been difficult to tell that this was not his middle brother.

"Aw, shit. Frank, I'm so sorry," Garrett stuttered in complete shock. If he'd known what was about to be revealed, there was no way he would have let his boss be blindsided by that sight.

"You have your pictures?" Frank squawked out roughly to the sergeant, while nodding towards the forensics crew.

"Yes, sir," Williams replied.

"Then take that damn thing off and bag it," the stunned Commissioner barked. "Let's see who we've really got here." The officer did as he was told and soon the three men were staring down at a semi bloated face with dark hair and other familiar lines.

"You got an ID yet?" Garrett asked.

"No, nothing on him. Maybe when the M.E. gets him back to the morgue. He's too waterlogged at the moment for any attempts at facial recognition or fingerprints."

"No need," Frank said as he pursed his lips and swallowed hard. Things had just taken a nosedive from bad to worse. Suddenly there was no question in his mind who was behind this whole campaign against Jamie and the rest of the family, and who had driven off in the Chevelle the night before. Jamie and Danny had been right. "That's Matthew Malevsky, Sonny's younger brother. He was a detective out of the 3-1 until the Blue Templar went down. We never had anything solid on him but we cleaned house anyway and he was let go. That means his father Mason is still on the loose. He lost his credentials with the FBI when Sonny's ties to the Templar were revealed and he had to be the other person on scene last night. The two of them had intended on killing both of my boys to get back at me for Sonny's suicide."

Garrett let out a low whistle. "Damn. So he would have seen Jamie push his youngest son into the river right in front of him? If he did all of this to avenge one son's death, what's he going to do about two now?"

Frank pulled out his phone in a near panic and hit the speed dial for Abigail Baker's cell. "He's going to go after them again, Garrett, and he's not going to wait for five years and plan some big production this time. He knows that we would ID Matthew just as soon he turned up and I would come for him with everything I have. He'll try to strike first while Jamie and Danny are most vulnerable. We need to get back to the hospital now!"

* * *

 _Next up, the final showdown. Just who ends up in danger and will Frank's warning come in time?_


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Mason Malevsky had spent the night raging against the Reagan family, and Jamie in particular. Not only had his plan gone horribly wrong right in front of his own eyes, but Matthew had paid with his life for underestimating that little bastard, he thought to himself. All his son would have had to have done was finish him off with a bullet before moving on to Danny, but he hadn't for some reason. He had assumed that the youngest Reagan was down for good. Not again. Mason was going to make sure that was a fact for both of Frank Reagan's boys before he disappeared permanently this time, and he was short of options. The state police had arrived too quickly last night and he would have risked being caught before he could have gotten to both Jamie and Danny. Now he knew he had to move fast before the full weight of the NYPD and FBI was deployed against him.

His cold gray eyes had settled down on the house on Harbor View as soon as he returned to the city and exchanged cars. By the time he got there an RMP was already sitting out front. He needed to know where the two brothers had been taken after they were airlifted from the scene. There were too many possible hospitals in the area for him to comb through by himself and he knew that by daybreak the search would be on for the body of his son. _His son!_ he sneered. The only thing he had left in the world after his beloved Sonny had committed suicide rather than go down like the rest of those in the Blue Templar. Well they hadn't gotten everyone that night, they hadn't gotten him, and he was still out here and capable of finishing what he had started.

He knew it was only a matter of time before Henry Reagan would leave and go see his grandsons, and his patience was finally rewarded when a black SUV arrived with two women who went into the house and then departed with the Reagan family patriarch, his grandchildren and the other who he now recognized as Detective Baker. He carefully tailed the vehicle through Manhattan until it came to a stop at the back entrance of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. He quickly abandoned his car and followed the group to the elevator, slipping in behind them with a common smile as just another apparent visitor. Baker had been preoccupied with a phone call from Garrett telling her the body had been found at the river and that he and Frank were on the way to the scene or she would have insisted that the elevator had remained clear.

When the doors opened on the fourth floor, Mason remained inside and hit the button for a lower level. Now that he knew exactly where they were, he needed to find an opportunity to get in there, and fast. In order to hit both brothers and slip out before his act was discovered, he was going to have to blend in as a member of the staff. He went off in search of the locker room where he knew he could pick up a lab coat or scrubs and an ID from some unsuspecting intern or nurse. There were two loaded syringes in his coat pocket that would take care of the rest.

###

Eddie felt immensely better with Kaylin on her lap. The toddler had such a light within her that it was hard not to smile in response and be affected by her presence. When Henry returned and Linda and the boys headed off to Danny's room, Eddie had a sudden thought; Kaylin was indeed her daddy's little girl, and if anyone could reach Jamie in the depths of where he was right now, it would be her. She scooped her up and headed determinedly back down the hall towards Jamie's room.

"Eddie! You can't take her back there, they don't allow it!" Erin said as she half jogged to catch up with her. "Dr. Gregory will kick us all out of the room if he sees her in there!"

"I don't care!" Eddie seethed. "He tries to wake Jamie up by hurting him and that's not working! He needs to know Kaylin is here and that she wants him back. If anything can bring him out of this right now it will be her!" She paused in the doorway of the room and snuggled her daughter a little harder. "Daddy's in here, baby, but he has some booboos on his head again and he's sleeping. Don't be afraid. How about you go in to lay next to him and talk to him quietly like he does for you when you're sad or tired. You can tell him a story. He needs some of your extra special sweetness right now, okay Kaylin?"

The little girl nodded and her bright eyes lit on her father. She had missed him at bedtime the night before, even though Pop Pop had read three new ducky stories to her instead, and he had a funny way of acting them all out in different character voices. She crawled onto the bed without hesitation and curled up in her preferred position next to Jamie's chest and began to chatter away softly about her favorite new book and the ten little duckies jumping in a stream. Eddie gently took Jamie's free arm and draped it around his daughter and squeezed his hand, willing him to feel her and hear the little voice so he could find a way to come back to them. Kaylin was very intelligent, and although she was adopted, shared the uncommon trait of having an eidetic memory with both Jamie and Frank. Soon there were nine little duckies as one got lost in a log, and then eight as another sat on a lilypad and floated away. She described each scene, each page and all of the dialogue of her new book in exact detail. Eddie sat back and let her daughter work her magic. Erin smiled as she pointed up to the heart monitor; the volume had been turned off, but there had been an initial bump up when Kaylin hopped on the bed, and now it had settled back down to a slow, relaxed rate. "Look at that," she encouraged, "he's listening to her. I told you he's there and almost ready to come back to us. We just need to give him a little more time."

Kaylin had made it all the way down to the very last ducky that boarded a sailboat before yawning and closing her eyes, ready to nap next to her daddy. She was already out like a light when a new older male nurse entered the room with a blood pressure cart and approached the bed to take Jamie's vitals. "Don't worry about the little girl," he smiled as he waved Eddie and Erin off without turning around. "She's fine where she is, I can work around her."

Eddie's head tilted though… that voice… something was very familiar about it. Her eyes widened in shock as she remembered, and her body tensed, ready to spring forward just as the door to the room burst open.

###

Abigail Baker was standing at the far end of the hallway near the nurses station when her phone rang. She had just walked up there after having finished confirming the schedule of the NYPD officers stationed at either end of the corridor. Everything was running smoothly and the family was well-attended to; Baker had almost allowed herself to relax for a moment before she saw the ID on the call coming through. "Yes, sir," she answered as her eyes roamed the hallway and she noted a new nurse entering Jamie's room. All the staff on the floor had previously been cleared.

"Baker!" Frank's thundering voice commanded. "I want armed officers at Danny and Jamie's doors immediately! No one, absolutely _no one_ goes in or out until we get there, and put someone else on the family! We think Mason Malevsky is going to make another attempt on them. We just pulled his youngest son out of the river and he will be desperate to take out his revenge before we can find him!"

"Oh no! Frank!" Baker gasped and his heart sank with fear immediately at her informality. "I think he may have just gone in with Jamie. I've got to go," she said as she cut her boss short and flipped her phone off and slipped it into her pocket. She alerted the head nurse standing behind the desk as she caught her attention. "Get your staff out of here now," she hissed. "We have an emergency situation!" Drawing her gun, she pointed to the nearest officer to follow her, which caught the attention of the one posted at the far end of the hall. With hand signals she sent him to the waiting room to guard Henry and Nicki, while she and Officer Ryan quickly advanced down the corridor. Baker nodded at Danny's room and Ryan quietly slipped inside and stood at the doorway with his weapon out, watching down the hall and startling Danny and his family.

"What is it?" Danny demanded in shock as he tried to push himself up on the bed while Linda gathered the boys away from the door and into the far corner. "What's happening!?" An ice cold realization hit him... Mason must still be after them, and if he wasn't in here, he must have gone for Jamie first. "Oh, God, no!" he prayed silently.

Officer Ryan just shook his head. "I'm not sure what it is, sir," he addressed without taking his eyes off the passage. "Detective Baker received a phone call and alerted us. She cleared the staff and is headed into your brother's room right now."

Baker peered around the corner and cursed under her breath as she saw the outline of the man standing next to Jamie's bed through the blinds. Her heart sank when she realized Kaylin was laying there next to him. She had to act decisively before he took any action and this turned into a greater tragedy than it already was. With one smooth motion, she flung the door open and advanced with her sights planted squarely on the back of the man's head.

"NYPD!" she shouted. "Step away from the bed now, Mason Malevsky! One flinch and I will blow you into the next room!" she added with all the venom she could muster.

Erin quickly pushed Eddie back against the side of the couch and held on, she could feel her sister-in-law's pulse pounding as she watched the monster that had tormented her family stand within inches of her helpless child and husband. Malevsky smiled to himself as he listened to the detective's voice behind him. Just five more minutes, that's all he would have needed. Five minutes out of a lifetime and he would have imposed his revenge on the mighty Frank Reagan and have been gone, never to be seen or heard from again. In his right hand glittered the outline of the syringe he had loaded with a powerful drug. Just half the dose injected into the soft IV tubing rolling between the fingers of his left would be enough to turn Jamison Reagan into a corpse without fail, just like his two boys were now. Mason closed his eyes. It had come to this... it was the end now. He knew if he so much as twitched, that Baker would hold true on her promise and quite literally blow his brains out, and he was positive that the Commissioner's assistant had an aim that rivaled any other superb marksman. He also realized that he didn't have the time or accuracy to hit the narrow IV tubing with the needle before she pulled the trigger, but the little innocent girl sleeping by her father was in close reach, and all he needed to do was pierce her skin and press the plunger to cause more anguish and pain for the Reagan family than any of them would ever be able to bear. It wouldn't take much at all and no one could stop him.

Eddie sucked in a silent wrenching breath as she noticed that the heart rate monitor had spiked up dramatically in the last few seconds, and that her husband's eyes were now slitted open. Jamie was awake... he was awake and staring up at the very man who had threatened to take everything that meant anything away from him. "Please," she prayed as she looked at him. "Please, oh please, Jamie save her!"

"Mason Malevsky, I am ordering you one more time to step back or I will fire," Baker reiterated coldly. She could almost sense the evil dialogue playing out in his head. With no further hesitation her fingers pulled back on the trigger and then everything happened simultaneously in fast and slow motion as the gun fired and Mason's right hand jabbed the needle downwards towards little Kaylin's unprotected leg.

* * *

 _Yes, I know that was the most evil cliffy I could have ever come up with! Sorry! Poor Kaylin. What will Frank find when he returns to the hospital? Will the Reagan family ever be the same again?_


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Frank Reagan's heart was beating out of his chest as reports of gunfire at the hospital rolled across the radio of his SUV when they were only blocks away. No one had picked up their phone, despite the many frantic calls he and Garrett had placed to Baker and other family members, and now he knew why. As they pulled up in front of the entrance, he was out of the door with his trusted bodyguard Detective Jimmy Nuciforo before the car even stopped. Frank nervously paced around the elevator in the short amount of time it took to get to the fourth floor, and he stepped out first despite Nuciforo's warning. He quickly turned the corner and was met with a hallway of shocked faces. Erin was standing with Nicki, and was the first to acknowledge his presence as she tearfully stepped to him and put her head on his shoulder.

"Dad," she sobbed. "It was terrible, Eddie and I sat there and we couldn't do anything to stop him!"

"What's happened?" he breathed, forcing the air out just to make a sound. His heart was ready to implode into a thousand pieces; had his warning been too late?

"Mason came for Jamie. He was dressed in scrubs as a nurse… we didn't know it was him. He pretended to take his blood pressure, but he had a syringe of something that he wanted to inject into his IV. Baker came in with her gun drawn and ordered him to stop," she said through the tears. "Dad, Kaylin was on the bed with Jamie! Mason tried to stab her with the needle as Baker fired and he just missed when Jamie woke up enough to jerk her out of the way. It… it scratched his arm pretty badly but so far nothing's happened to him. They think maybe none of the drug got into him, but they're not sure because he's not really a hundred percent with it yet. They've moved him down to the next room for observation while the shooting team comes in. Mason's dead. Baker took him down with that one shot."

Frank's knees went weak at the thought of how close either Jamie or Kaylin came to being harmed by that madman. If they hadn't found that body on the riverbank when they did... he leaned up against the wall for a few seconds and closed his eyes before gathering himself. He walked by the first room with hardly a glance at the body on the floor, and paused to squeeze Baker's elbow as she stood outside the doorway with her arms tightly crossed.

"Thank you, Abigail," he muttered gruffly, his throat was tight and the words still barely coming out. She nodded at him with glassy eyes, still speechless herself at the events that had just unfolded. If she had waited for another split second, or Jamie had not been the least bit aware, an unspeakable tragedy would have befallen them all.

He took a deep breath to calm himself as he stepped in the next room which was currently crowded with several other doctors and nurses. He only had eyes for three individuals though, as he pushed his way to the bedside. Jamie was propped upright with his eyes closed, but Frank could see that he was talking quietly to Eddie who had her head glued to his shoulder. They both had an arm wrapped around Kaylin who was sitting up on the side of the bed and playing with some plastic wrapped drinking cups. "Grandpa!" she shouted when he approached. Jamie glanced at his father momentarily and Eddie's tear filled face turned towards him.

"Hey, Dad," his son rasped and then closed his eyes again. Frank could see he was sporting a new bandage on his right arm. He picked his granddaughter up off the bed and gave her a long, thankful hug and kiss; not wanting to even think about how close they had been to losing her.

"How are you feeling, son?" he asked with some concern. Jamie looked like he was still struggling a bit.

"Okay, think," he replied, bringing his hand up to his forehead, "Now, fuzzy. Just face… head… light hurts."

Frank quickly walked over to the wall switch and flipped it to turn the bright overhead lights off. All of the medical professionals in the room looked at him. "Common sense, people," he muttered as he returned to the bedside still with the little girl in his arms. "Better?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do... thanks," Jamie managed, although his eyes remained closed.

"He's still a little confused about some things, and mixing up his words. We haven't asked about the other stuff," Eddie explained knowingly as she noted Frank's concern growing. "Dr. Gregory was just here and said it was called expressive aphasia, but that it should improve as the rest of the swelling goes down." She smiled as she turned back to him, "He still remembers what's important, though."

"You bet, Janko" Jamie mumbled. "You, Kaylin her baby. Want go to home with cat."

Frank could see that it wasn't time yet to bring up the big questions about what Jamie thought about the events of the night before, and he looked with trepidation at the array of monitors his son was now hooked up to. "They're just keeping close watch on him until they can get the contents of the syringe analyzed and test him to see if any of it got into his bloodstream. It's a little hard to know if anything else has affected him right now," Eddie explained as she nodded towards Jamie. "It was too close," she choked out, "for both of them."

"I know," he answered softly as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "but it's all over now. Mason's gone and we can work on moving forward into the new year by putting this all behind us."

"Cold," Jamie whispered, as his head sank back on the pillow, "on ground over bridge I was."

Eddie turned back towards her husband nervously, as one of the nurses misunderstood and added another heated blanket on his bed. Frank was right, there was definitely a lot of healing yet to do.

###

After waiting for the results of the drug screen and assuring himself that Jamie was stable and resting comfortably for the most part, Frank excused himself and walked across the hall to Danny's room. Linda had taken the boys down to the cafeteria to get something to eat and decompress. His oldest son looked worried and nervous as he glanced up and saw his father enter the room. There was a lot left unsaid between them this morning. "How is he?" he implored. "No one's really telling me all that much."

"Awake, off and on," Frank replied. "Not always clear mentally and mixing up his words a lot, but aware, and they've confirmed he didn't get enough, if anything, from the syringe Malevsky had."

"How?"

"He's still alive," Frank answered grimly. "The tests show it was potassium chloride, Danny. A big enough dose would have stopped his heart. Mason… he had two shots ready; one for Jamie and one for you."

"Jesus," Danny said, shaking his head and coming to grips with how close they'd come to losing everything. "I guess he wasn't messing around this time."

"No, and when Baker had him cornered, he tried to go after Kaylin with it."

"That would have killed Jamie for sure," his older brother whispered sadly as he raised his teary eyes up to look at his father. "Just as sure as if he had stabbed him directly in the chest with it. I'm so sorry, Dad. I know I should have let Jamie come to you about this. I can't even explain why I didn't except that I thought it was all about those dreams he was having. I didn't take him seriously at first. Has he talked about last night at all?..."

"No, not really," Frank said as he walked over and sat down heavily on the chair. There was really nothing more he could say to Danny that his son hadn't already used against himself. It was time for him to let the anger at that part of this go. Thankfully there would be the opportunity later to have a heavy conversation with both of his sons about keeping things like this hidden for too long. "He mentioned something about being cold on the ground by the bridge just before he fell asleep a little while ago. It's… it's pretty hard to understand where he's going with things right now. The doctor said that should improve as the swelling in his brain goes down. I don't think we should press him for any details until he's better. I was at the scene today, Danny... I saw where he fell and lay bleeding for all that time. The police didn't know he was there while they were concentrating on you."

"You need to have them put me in a room with him, Dad," Danny pleaded. "I need to be with him when he really wakes up. I was there last night! I know what happened! He's going to have so many questions when this hits him. What if he thinks it was really Joe standing out on that bridge with him?"

"I can't have them do that, son," Frank said softly. "Eddie was too upset and angry with you earlier. I don't know where she's at with this right now after all that's happened. Jamie had promised her that he would stay at the house with Kaylin while the girls were all gone and wait for me to come home, and Pop told her that you talked him into going out after that car. She's just scared right now, Danny. She'll come around when Jamie is better, but right now I don't know that she's ready to listen to me, and this is already too much stress for her condition. I can't press her."

"Damn it Dad! He's gonna need help to pull out of this. All of these years that Joe's been gone... I never thought, you know... To see the two of them together again, I mean to sit there helplessly and watch him and Jamie face each other down like that... How is he going to cope? What if that's what he believes happened when he remembers that part?"

"It wasn't Joe, Danny. It never was."

"I know that, but in Jamie's mind it was last night, Dad," Danny countered. "Between the concussion he had and all psychological stuff he went through with Malevsky tormenting him about the Blue Templar, he truly believed he was talking to Joe or he was caught up in one of his dreams. I know it! He was asking him to help me before that guy cracked him with the butt of the gun. I tried to warn him not to get near him but he wasn't all there. He just wanted to get me help."

"But he pushed him over the railing anyway."

"To protect me, not himself. He did it to protect me, Dad. He picked me over Joe and that's gonna end up killing him; he'll never accept it. In his mind's eye he's somehow going to make himself responsible for Joe's death, I know it."

* * *

 _Whew! That was a close one! Next up, Eddie and Danny talk and the two brothers have a chance to see each other for the first time since the accident._


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Danny was examining his breakfast tray carefully, trying to determine exactly what was in the entree since it bore little resemblance to the ham and cheese omelet he'd wanted, when he heard a soft knock at the door. He looked up to see Eddie standing outside of the entryway. This was the first time she had so much as walked by the room since he and Jamie had been airlifted in more than thirty-six hours ago. "Hey," he greeted her with a small smile, "my detective skills must be failing me. What's this green and brown stuff?"

She came closer and glanced at it. "Looks like spinach and mushroom quiche to me."

"Spinach," he sighed as he pushed it away. "Linda must have called this in last night. No way I would have ordered that."

"How are you, Danny?" Eddie asked quietly as she walked over to the window and scooted up sit on the sill.

"I'm good," he answered, carefully gauging the tension between them. Eddie looked more drained than angry now… almost a little defeated, which scared him more than anything quite honestly. "They're letting me get up to walk and sit in a chair today. Worried about the kid, though," he added sadly. "How's he doing?"

"A little better," she replied with some relief. After the events of the past two days her focus had shifted now to a deep concern about Jamie's recovery. It was difficult to watch him struggle with his thoughts as things still appeared to be in a bit of a mix for him although there was already some improvement since the day before. "He's a bit easier to understand, and he was asking for you this morning, but, um, they just took him up to the operating room so that Dr. Heffner, the plastic surgeon, can fix the cheek fracture. He didn't want to wait too much longer or the bone would have started to heal incorrectly. He's able to do it with twilight anesthesia so they don't have to knock him out completely again. He told me that Jamie's supposed to be back in his room in a few hours though if you want to come visit him."

"I'll be there," Danny said in relief, "Thank you, and I… well, I just want to say I'm sorry for everything that happened. I know a huge part of this was my fault for talking him out of going to Dad in the first place. I guess I just didn't want to believe that any of this was possible, I mean we buried all of this deep years ago…"

"He needs you, Danny." Eddie interrupted as she chewed her lip. "I know that we all have some responsibility for what happened… I do too, and maybe I was afraid to admit that before… but right now he needs you to believe in him. It's not enough for me to do it. Especially this thing with Joe and the nightmares… it's dredged up stuff for him that I can't comprehend. I can try to support him, but I can't help him understand it. You were there. You need to help him figure out what was real and what is not, because otherwise I don't know how he's going to be able to cope with the fact that he pushed that guy into the river."

"He needs you, too, Eddie," Danny said as he looked at her directly in the eyes. "He needs you and Kaylin and this baby to ground him and give him a reason to get over all of this so he can keep it in the past where it belongs. He's never been happier in his whole life than he is with you. Make him remember that."

"I'll try," she said with a smile as she hopped down to the floor. "Thanks, and I'm glad you're okay now too."

"No problem, kid," Danny said as he sighed in relief when she walked out of the room. He planned to be sitting right next to his brother's bed the moment he woke up from that surgery.

###

"Hey, sleepyhead," poke, poke, poke. "If you don't wake up soon, I'm gonna eat your lunch."

"'top it, D'nny," Jamie muttered in annoyance with half of his face still numb from the nerve block. Erin had taken Eddie home to clean up and eat dinner once Jamie had come through the plastic surgery, leaving him an open target for his brother's assault. He used his one open eye to glare over at Danny who was sitting next to him in a wheelchair, "'ust 'ake it, mm 'ungry not."

"Well I might just do that, although the only thing they gave you that's worthwhile was pudding. Definitely not touching the green Jello; remember that, kid. Linda tried to slip some spinach to me in my breakfast this morning. I've been starving for hours now. Dad promised to bring something from the house later when he stops by. I mean, it's Sunday, and we're gonna be missing dinner. This garbage is no substitute for that. Even when Erin is on her veggie lasagne trip."

"'top 'alkin 'ood 'bout." Jamie begged as he closed his eyes and laid back down on the pillow again. His head was still pounding in rhythm with every single heartbeat. "I wanna 'eep 'ust et me 'eep, p'ease."

"Okay, kid," Danny frowned and continued softly, "I'll let you sleep and come back later. Maybe we can watch the Jets game tonight?" There was no response as Jamie had drifted back out and obviously no point in pressing his brother to talk about anything right now. Between the slurring and the aphasia he could barely understand him. Danny was shaken. He knew what he had been told by the rest of the family, but he hadn't quite been expecting this. Right now though, he could see that Jamie just needed to rest for a while, and that any important conversations were going to have to wait until much later.

###

"Walterson! You idiot! You call yourself a kicker? How? How could he miss a field goal from twenty yards out!? It's a complete chip shot you jerk! A twelve-year-old could make that!" Danny shouted at the TV as Jamie opened his eyes again. The numbness in his face had faded, only to be replaced by a fairly significant throbbing ache. The medical staff had been loathe to give him too much pain medication at one time after warnings from the family and the issues of the day before.

"Don't mess Walterson with," Jamie commented dryly. "Baker will shoot you too." Not perfect but a lot clearer than before. He rubbed his hand over his good eye and frowned at the small bandage on his right arm. Somehow he kept expecting that these things had been part of a dream and not real. Seeing that shook him to the core again. All he could remember was waking up to find Mason's gaze fixed on his daughter, everything else had just been a reflex. God, if that didn't give him nightmares for the rest of his life, nothing would.

"Halftime," Danny said as he flicked the TV off. "And they're still losing. Down 14 to 10. Dad should be here soon with the sandwiches. I don't know what's keeping him."

"Again, food," Jamie muttered. "Impossible."

"How are you feeling now?" Danny asked worriedly, although he was thankful that he could already see a great deal of improvement in his brother's communication skills since the morning.

"'right," his younger brother sighed. "Hurts."

"I bet," Danny said sadly, and then pushed forward nervously. He had to know, and they were alone at the moment, so he was determined to find out. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Yeah," Jamie swallowed. "All of it. Jeep in trees. Bridge. Chevelle back. Joe… and gun…" he trailed off with a small sob and covered his eyes. "River."

" _NO, IT WAS NOT JOE!"_ Danny emphasized forcefully as he tried to swing the chair around with one hand. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. The kid was going to catch himself in a blame game over his already dead brother. "Jamie, it was Matthew Malevsky in a freaking Halloween mask! You need to keep telling yourself that. _It was not our brother Joe there that night!"_

"I know now," Jamie muttered back angrily. "I knew too then."

"You did?"

"Never Joe would hurt us," Jamie said as his eyes welled up. He rubbed his right one dry with his forearm and left it there, covering his face again; it was harder to concentrate on the words when he was upset. "I wanted to be him, needed help, but wasn't. Hit me and had gun on you. Not him. Bad guy. Had to… had to do it."

"Yeah, you did," Danny said as he wheeled himself over and put a hand on Jamie's arm and pulled it away from his face. "You absolutely had to do what you did. Don't hide, look at me," he commanded. "Jamie, look at me!" He waited until his brother's one open eye trailed over and caught his own. "I just wanted to thank you. I know it took everything you had to get back up. I wasn't sure, kid… I really thought we were done for. He was going to kill me and then finish you off, and I couldn't stop him. In that moment I wasn't sure what was in your head, you were already hurt so badly… I mean you picked me over him. You were always closer to Joe."

"Not Joe, he was good guy. Love you, Danny," Jamie whispered.

"Yes, he was a good guy," Danny said as he teared up, his emotions raw as he was overwhelmingly thankful that his little brother had apparently not lost himself over what had happened. "And so are you, and I love you too, kid. I think maybe he was there that night, at least a part of him. Something gave you the strength you needed. I don't know… you're the one with all the faith, but I think there's always some part of him around us watching over."

"Yeah, there is."

"You're going to need some help to get over this, Jamie," Danny sighed. "We both are. If you think it's going to be easy for me to forget, it's not. I've never felt so helpless before… I mean sitting there trapped in the car and not being able to stop anything... watching him hit you… But I'm here, Dad's here, everyone else and Eddie and Kaylin are going to keep loving you to pieces. You've got a new baby on the way. You need to put this all behind you and I'll help in any way I can. Promise me you'll ask if you need to talk about it, okay? Don't keep it all locked up inside so it comes out in nightmares."

"'kay, promise, Dan," Jamie smiled as best he could and reached over to grab his brother's hand and hold it as they talked quietly for some time.

Almost as if on cue, a large shadow darkened the doorway. Frank Reagan stood smiling as he saw his two boys sharing a moment. "Well this can't be because of the game," he kidded. "I heard the Patriots scored again on the kickoff when I was walking in. Your grandfather made you both some plates of good oven roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and green beans," he added as he walked in and set the bag on the table. "I ducked out while everyone else was still on cleanup duty. They'll be by later. It's New Year's Eve, you know."

"Oh, YES!" Danny said excitedly and he reached over eagerly for his share. Having only one arm hardly slowed him down. "I thought you would never get here! "Thank you, Pop!"

Jamie just smirked at his father. "All he talks 'bout… food."

"Yes, well, that's how we know he's okay," Frank said. "How about you?"

"Fine," Jamie said as he waved and absentmindedly touched the bandage on the left side of his face. "Hurts too not so bad."

"Where were you all day?" Danny asked his father as he ignored his brother and dug into the generous serving. From the looks of it, Jamie wasn't too interested in his portion so there would be extra to spare.

"I had some things to wrap up," Frank said solemnly. "We located where Mason was living," he paused as he looked at Jamie who already had an idea of what was coming. "Across the street from you and two doors down towards Linden. That old cape cod. Moved in about three months after you bought your house. He's been watching you all this time."

"Damn," Danny said as he paused while buttering his bread. He glanced over at his brother and tried to read his expression, but that was rather difficult at this time. "He was right there?"

"Knew it," Jamie muttered as he angrily stared at the ceiling. His stomach turned with the knowledge that evil man had been so close to his family all this time.

"Yes, well, the detectives found a note left on the kitchen table. He was of course planning to disappear if he had been successful here yesterday," Frank said with a shudder as he remembered just how close Mason had come to pulling it off. "But he wanted to make sure I knew that his intention all along had been to get back at me. He wanted me to suffer by losing all of my sons because of what happened to Sonny when we took the Templar down, and then when Matthew went over the rail in front of him… he just must have broke. He blamed Jamie for starting the investigation in the first place, so his focus was on you from the beginning, son. Plus he had the most access to you through his old FBI contacts. Agent Foster is sitting in a cell at Rikers right now. We'll deal with him in his own due time."

"Boy, those apples didn't fall far from the tree did they?" Danny mused. "All the Malevskys were wacked. Please tell me there aren't any more left out there."

"No," Frank confirmed. "That was all of them. Thank God, Mason was an only child. There was one more thing though, Jamie," he said hesitantly, and waited until his youngest son glanced over before pulling out a plastic evidence bag with a few papers and a keyring inside. "He also left this on the table for you. I guess he figured he didn't need it where he was going, and if things went bad here, as they did, that you somehow deserved to have it back. Maybe it was one final dig at me, I don't know. It's the title to the Chevelle, son, and the keys to it and the storage facility where he kept it. There's a receipt… it's paid up there through the end of March." Frank paused to let the shocking news sink in before he continued. "It's the salvage title, son. He's signed it back over to you. Even had it notarized weeks ago. It was our car. Mason's the one who bought it at auction. He's had it all this time and restored it."

Several seconds of pure silence dragged by. "Planned damn thing all these years!" Jamie finally croaked out in rage as he shook his head and looked away. "Don't want it… Can't see it! Just can't! It's bad!..."

"Well, that's up to you," Frank said as he laid the bag down on the table. He had been afraid of that reaction, but this wasn't something he was prepared to hide from his son. Too much had been kept in the dark before, and he was determined that they were going to deal with everything together out in the open from now on. "I think we all understand. I'll keep this for a while in case you change your mind, though. For now we're just all going to move forward. The Templar is really gone this time, and we're all still here."

* * *

 _Don't worry! We're not all finished yet! I told you this was a long one. There are still a couple of chapters of loose ends to tie up and then a baby to be born! Believe it or not but another dark force from the past returns for that event! Can you guess who? :-)_

 _Special thank you to all my regular readers and reviewers! You guys make my day! I don't necessarily reply to each and every one but know that I read them all and they are very much appreciated and will inspire me to come up with a new story once this one is done!_


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"Reagan, I'm not sure we should be doing this today," Eddie worried as she pulled the car up in drop off zone in front of St. Victor's hospital. "I could have rescheduled, you know."

"No, I'm home now and this was already on the calendar," Jamie answered from the passenger seat. "I… I just want to see the baby again," he admitted. "Needed something good to look forward to this week so I focused on this. Just drink your water, Ed, and drop me off here. I'll wait on that bench over there. I promise."

"Okay," Eddie agreed, as she watched him undo the seatbelt slowly. He still had a lot of bruising and was pretty sore, having finally been released from the hospital just two days previously. "Pull your coat closed and stay right there. I'll park the car and be back in just a few minutes. I'm going to get you a wheelchair from the entrance way. You're not ready to do all that walking yet," she added, knowing that Jamie still had occasional bouts of dizziness, although he was able to get around by himself for short distances in their home pretty well now.

"Janko," he started but held himself back when she put the car back into gear and the doors automatically locked. "Whatever you say, dear," he smiled and conceded. She was probably right anyway. It wouldn't be a great time to fall down and knock his head again.

"Now stay right on that bench..." she continued to remind until he turned around and closed the car door behind him, effectively cutting her off in mid sentence. Oh, boy, judging from that frown he just got he was gonna pay for that one. He smiled and waved as he walked the short distance and sat down obediently before she pulled away, trying to ignore the extended looks he was garnering from most passers-by. Really, he got that his face still pretty much looked like someone had just taken a two-by-four to it, but this was a hospital, so it shouldn't look too much out of place here, right? He was just about to defy orders and get up to make his way to the main entrance when he noticed Eddie coming quickly back down the sidewalk. She looked so very beautiful with her blond hair bouncing and her striped grey tunic sweater and teal coat over black pants and boots, and the baby bump that was becoming more noticeable by the day. Jamie was incredibly thankful, given the events of nearly a week ago, that he was here to enjoy this.

She retrieved the promised wheelchair, and they were soon off to the waiting room on the third floor again, impatiently listening for Eddie's name to be called. She was approximately sixteen weeks pregnant today, and there was a good chance that the baby's sex could be determined if he or she were in a cooperative mood. Eddie had relented on her original stance on waiting until the birth because of her promise to Jamie, and he was brimming with anticipation. It was all he allowed himself to think about the last few days, and it had been enough to keep any bad dreams at bay. So far, since the incidents last weekend, his nights, and granted most of his days, had been filled with terror-free sleep as he recovered from his injuries. The aphasia was just about completely gone so he was left mostly with the physical injuries, which at this point were well on their way to healing. The mental scars, those were still up in the air, although from all appearances he was successfully leaving them behind as well.

Eddie picked up a magazine and began to nervously thumb through it. She came to an article about the stages of pregnancy and scanned the chart that accompanied it. "Oh, look," she said sarcastically. "Little baby no-name is the size of an avocado this week, she mused. "An avocado. Seriously, that's what they picked for a comparison. Fruit. Considering the way none of my clothing is fitting anymore, I would have guessed more like a big ol' cantaloupe by now."

"Abigail," Jamie muttered as he looked at her, with his eyes misting up. "If it's a girl, I think Abigail Margaret Reagan would be nice."

Eddie looked back at him quizzically. Jamie had been pretty open about talking through everything that had happened outside of the hospital the week before, which had sort of surprised her, but the one thing he had absolutely refused to discuss were the events that occurred in the room when Baker had held her gun on Mason as he'd done his best in that last instant to take their precious little girl away from them. Eddie still wasn't sure of exactly how much Jamie had been aware of… enough, thank God, to pull Kaylin towards him and away from the end of the bed in that last second. Just enough at least, and through some act of mercy not enough of the potassium chloride had gotten into his bloodstream when the needle left that deep scratch down his arm. Just a small band aid there now...

"I think that's just about perfect," she answered with a soft smile. "So Kristopher Jamison for a boy and Abigail Margaret for a girl. Done and done."

"Sounds good," Jamie smiled back. "Although we have a lot of time to think about it between now and then."

"No, I refuse to call it little no-name anything after today, or even 'it' anymore. It will be a him or her, but we'll keep the name private until the big day. Deal?"

"Deal"

"Reagan?" the receptionist called out.

Eddie and Jamie both stood up. "I'm good," he assured her as she looked at the wheelchair. "Quit worrying about me so much, and let's go check out this baby; it's not far to walk. I'll be fine."

A short trip down the hall with a stop at the dreaded scale, another big eye roll from Eddie, and they were escorted to the same exam room as they had been in previously. The nurse that brought them back was not as chatty as before; she took one look at Jamie and finished her notes, smiled rather oddly and left. He shrugged at his wife and sat still on the stool this time, spinning was not an option. They both waited quietly for some time before he broke the silence.

"So what do you want? Girl or boy?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't care as long as it's healthy," she smiled. "I know that's a cliché, but it's really how I feel. If I _absolutely_ had to pick? A boy, maybe, so we have one of each. What about you?"

"I think it's a girl. Kaylin told me she wants a little sister."

"That's what you think, Reagan," she noted. "That's not necessarily what you want." She was watching him carefully now to see if he was being clear or if this was still part of him mixing up his thoughts. There seemed to be a little bit of tension behind his line of questioning.

"Still a girl, then," he admitted. "I guess I feel like I have a handle on that right now… although, with three women in the house I'm going to have to add another bathroom." She shot him a look that said she was still waiting for an explanation. "I'm afraid I might butt heads with a boy," he added honestly. "You know how stubborn Reagan men are, especially when we get together."

"Yes, well, you do fine with Jack and Sean," Eddie reminded. "And trust me, there's nothing worse than a teenage girl, except maybe a pair of them…"

Any further thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Candice Adams, their sonographer. She came in and greeted them warmly, and did not seem put off by Jamie's appearance. _She must have been warned, I'm probably the talk of the whole office by now,_ he thought as he pushed that annoyance aside and eagerly slid over to his spot by Eddie to wait while the equipment warmed up. Soon they were entranced by the sight of little baby no-name who was once again proving to be very active for the camera. Eddie's eyes widened and her hand slid down to her belly. "So that little fluttering I can feel now, right there… that's really the baby!" she gasped excitedly as she looked at Jamie. "I wasn't sure! That's so cool!" she gushed.

"Yes," Candice smiled. "This is right about the time a lot of women can start feeling movement, but I'm afraid it won't be obvious for a while to outsiders," she said as she caught Jamie's eyes cloud with disappointment. "There are some things that moms get to experience first. On the bright side, this little one won't be kicking you in the ribs or the bladder in the middle of the night when you hit the home stretch." She checked back over her notes. "All of the measurements are looking good," she commented. "Everything appears to be in the normal range and developing on track for sixteen weeks. I see here that you've changed your mind and opted to find out the sex? Twenty weeks is definitely more definitive, but your baby is in an excellent position to try right now, should I proceed?"

"Yes!" Eddie said eagerly. She was completely caught up in the moment now and practically humming with excitement. Those thoughts about waiting until the big reveal had been completely kicked to the curb. _This is better than Christmas,_ she thought in great anticipation.

"NO!" Jamie exclaimed as the two women turned to him in surprise. "I mean... now, well! I don't want to now wait! I mean how know!" he corrected. Damn aphasia still popping up. "I want to... wait... now," he said more slowly, hoping that would clear up the confusion.

"Reagan!" Eddie looked at him in shock, shaking her head and raising her eyebrows. "Honey, you've talked about nothing, and I mean _nothing_ else for two days, ever since you got out of the hospital. I _promised_ you if you woke up out of that coma like a good little man, that we would find out the sex, didn't I?"

Candice also raised an eyebrow. This was getting interesting.

"Car accident," Eddie and Jamie answered the unasked question in unison. The poor woman would probably run out of the room and call security if she knew the whole story.

"Oh," Candice replied, "I'm so sorry to hear about that. Maybe you two need a minute? Or I can look to see what the baby is, and just write it down in the chart in case you change your mind?"

"No!" Jamie said without yielding, looking at his wife. That would be way too tempting; it had to be cold turkey to work. "Please, I have to have this Eddie. Just like you said the last time about needing something to get you through the next few months or something to focus on when labor gets hard. I can't explain it, but wondering about this keeps my mind off… other things," he admitted and then firmly planted the patented puppy eyes on her, which in this case was about as sad as they got, given the still-bruised state of his face.

"Oh, good grief! You win with that damn look," she sighed as she sank back on the exam table and closed her eyes in defeat. "I give up... Little baby no-name Reagan it is for now. Put the big red flag back on our chart," she said as she waved her hand towards the technician. "We're really not usually this crazy," she apologized in embarrassment. "It's just been an unbelievably long few weeks."

"Oh, it's no problem," Candice chuckled as she put the equipment away. "I can see you've both been through the wringer lately. By the way, you're very cute together when you're fighting, although he doesn't play fair," she added nodding at Jamie. "Who could say no to that?"

"Not me," Eddie said laughing and pointing at her belly, "or we wouldn't be here in the first place."

* * *

 _Next up, Kaylin has a little showdown of her own with Uncle Danny and one more major issue gets resolved._


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"We've got homemade apple pie for dessert!" Danny called out as he walked through the front door of the family home on a Sunday afternoon in late March.

"Uncle Danny!" Kaylin yelled as she skipped into the living room. "Come read me a story, please!"

"Don't you mean come listen to me while I read you one," Jack snickered as he followed his father in. "Dad doesn't really get whole concept behind little kids and the storybook thing so much."

"Hey! I resent that!" Danny said as he smacked his oldest son upside the head. "Don't go trying to make me look bad in front of that little girl!" He turned back to his niece and poured on a big fake smile. "Where's your daddy, sweetheart? I'm sure he would love to read you another story."

"Not here," she stated adamantly with a determined look on her face while holding up her book. Ladybugs this time, ducks were so last month.

"Okay, okay," he grinned. "How about you go sit down over there on the couch to wait for me, and I'll be right back as soon as I put the pies in the kitchen."

"'kay," she said, looking at him suspiciously. "I'll wait," she stated as she crawled up on the cushion with her book and crossed her arms. There would be no putting her off. Danny made his way into the kitchen amid muffled laughter from the rest of his family. The great Daniel Reagan had just been called out by a three-year-old little girl in a dress, tights and patent leather shoes.

"Where's the kid?" he asked as he put the baked goods down on the counter. "I'm starving. Don't tell me we have to wait to eat until he gets back."

"No," Frank stated. "Jamie and Eddie just dropped Kaylin off and went out for a bit. They said not to wait on dinner for them if they're not back in time."

"Where to?" Danny asked, his curiosity peaked as he turned around to face his father. It wasn't like him to be so blase about anyone being late for a Sunday meal.

"Just out..." Frank answered before relenting with the full facts as most of the family members were staring back at him. "They've gone to the storage facility to see the car. The rental is almost up and we need to figure out what to do. It can't stay there forever. Your brother… it's taken some time for him to come to terms with it."

Danny gave a low whistle while his wife walked over to the refrigerator.

"What do you think he'll decide?" Linda asked. "That might really stir up some bad memories for him. He's been doing so well since the accident. Eddie said that aside from some minor things, he's really not had too many problems sleeping. She's the one up all the time now, that baby is getting huge and really giving her grief with constant heartburn and backaches. She has to sleep sitting up in a chair every night… I think she's looking pretty rundown with more than two months to go. It must be a girl, it's always the girls that do that. I still can't believe they haven't found out what it is yet. How are we supposed to theme the baby shower?"

"I'll take it if Uncle Jamie doesn't want it," Jack chimed in. "What a cool car."

"Nice try, weisenheimer," Danny stated. "That's a little beyond your means. Besides, if Jamie wanted to give it to someone, it would be me," he said pumping his chest.

"Not in a million years," Erin laughed. "Not after you drove it into the garage door trying to run over me. He's never forgiven you for putting that scratch on it."

"Yeah, well, it was your idea to try to paint over it with nail polish," her older brother defended. "Oh, look it's the same color as Azur Blue, they'll never notice," he mocked.

"Enough! It's almost time to eat," Frank interrupted. "I've offered to keep it here in the garage for him again if he wants, or he has room in the shed in the back of his yard. I'm just not sure given what he's been through, that Jamie will want to have the car around at all anymore. I mean Malevsky had his hands on it for years. It might be too much. We'll see when he gets back. But for now, son," he said smiling, while eyeing Danny and nodding towards the living room, "I believe you have a date with a young lady and any number of ladybugs. Best not keep her waiting too much longer."

###

"It's says it's in locker 323," Eddie directed. "Right over there. You can park here."

Jamie dutifully swung their car into the parking spot and turned the engine off, but made no move to get out of the vehicle. He tried to hide the fact that his hands were perspiring by wiping them on his jeans, but he nervously chewed his lip as his anxiety level crept up yet another notch. _Get a grip, Reagan. It's just a car,_ he told himself as he tried to control his breathing. _A car that you and Joe once loved. Mason isn't here anymore. No one's gonna use it to run you over or mow down your family in the street._ He had been waging this internal battle ever since his father had pulled out that title and the keys that Malevsky had left for him while he was still recovering in the hospital. Now that the storage contract was running out, he finally had to face the damn thing once and for all. Despite having several months to think about it, Jamie really had no idea what he was going to do beyond this point. He was still trying to talk himself into getting out of their vehicle and walking over to the locker when Eddie piped back in.

"Holy cow!" she cried as her hand went to her protruding belly. She now looked very much like those women they had seen in the waiting room on their first trip in for the ultrasound. "Seriously? Was it totally necessary to give mummy a karate kick to the kidney? Look at this," she laughed as she pulled up her shirt, and they watched as a bulge went across her left side and then bounced up and down. "I think that was an elbow, or a knee. This kid's in there doing gymnastics, Reagan. I feel like I'm in that movie with the alien thing, you know the one with Sigourney Weaver on the spaceship?"

"You mean _Alien?_ " he chuckled, breaking his tension. "You're losing it, woman."

"Oh stop it!" She laughed as she reached over and smacked his shoulder. "You try living with sleep deprivation while something does its best to get to you from the inside out." She stopped smiling when she saw the pained look return to his face. "I'm so sorry, Jamie. That was a really stupid thing for me to say, especially right here. I know this is going to be hard for you. Do you want me to come with?" she asked as she slid her hand on top of his.

"No, um, why don't you sit here and bond with the creature some more," he said as he forced a smile and tried to lighten the mood. "Give me a few minutes, okay? I guess I just need to get this over with," he added as he grabbed the extra keys out of the console and opened the door to get out.

Eddie watched through her window as Jamie made his way over to the locker and paused for a few seconds before unlocking it and lifting the metal door up in one motion. Her breath caught. It was there. For some reason she had almost assumed that the space would be empty, perhaps one final cosmic jab by Mason looking to torture her husband from the grave. She saw him put his hands back in his jacket pockets as he stood there unmoving, staring at the back of the Chevelle until his shoulders slumped. Her heart was crying out for him as he stepped to the right and trailed his hand over the infamous mark. It was still there. This was really the same one. His fingers traced the familiar imperfection and continued to brush the side as he walked forward and stood in front of the car. Much closer now then in his dreams, but it remained silent. There was no one else sitting in the driver's seat mocking him with an evil laugh. It was quiet and still.

Jamie unlatched the hood and raised it up, his hands automatically finding the support rod to prop it open with. He leaned down and admired the beauty of the old engine once more. God, it was clean. He might of been a psychopath, but Mason had surely known his way around this car. Jamie's hands carefully traced over the motor, _pure mechanics,_ he thought, _not a computer to be found._ Satisfied that it was in running order, he dropped the hood with a heavy bang and walked over to the driver's side door, hesitating for a moment before pulling it open and slipping into the seat inside. His hands lovingly caressed the steering wheel. Joe's car. It would forever be Joe's car.

" _She looks great," his father had said. "Joe worked two jobs that summer for the extra money. He found the engine in Rochester."_

" _Thanks," Jamie replied. "Yep, restored it from the ground up."_

" _Yeah. I never could figure out why he loved this car so. He wasn't even born when I bought it."_

" _Number one, it's an awesome car," Jamie had laughed. "Number two, it was your car. None of us wanted to be more like you than Joe did."_

Jamie's eyes began to tear up as he remembered the end of that conversation. He had been fishing for more details about the Blue Templar from his father.

" _That night. To me it's like a movie in my head. But with deleted scenes. Joe was hitting a location, right?"_

" _Brooklyn South."_

" _Just like dozens of other times?"_

" _Yeah," Frank had replied, caught up in the memory. "Except this time the perp rabbited. Joe could run," he smiled. "Chased this guy down. Another perp comes out of nowhere and shoots Joe. Four times."_

" _And the two perps?" he had questioned, already knowing that there was more to it than his father had ever suspected._

" _What do you think? Our guys returned fire. Dead at the scene. The Warrant Squad is a great unit. A strong team, early tours, a lot of overtime. But every time you hit a door, you need an angel on your shoulder. You should have the car," his father had paused. "Take her home," he shrugged. "Since I became police commissioner, they drive me everywhere."_

Jamie put his head down on the wheel and just plainly bawled for several minutes as all the pent up emotions of the last months finally released and poured forth in a torrent. Joe had been the angel on his shoulder throughout this terrible ordeal. He had warned him and given him the strength to do what needed to be done to protect the family. It was over. This had never been Mason Malevsky's car, it would always be Joe's, and it was finally time to take it home. He leaned back and pulled his wallet out of his pocket, fishing around for a few seconds before he located a somewhat tattered picture of his brother… the one that used to be shoved in the brim of his hat when he was still on patrol. He fingered it for a few seconds and then pulled the visor down before sliding it into its new place of honor. Jamie smiled through the tears as he slipped the keys into the ignition and the heavy motor rumbled to life. Eddie looked up in surprise, and then grinned as she saw the car carefully back out of the building and pull around aside of her. Jamie was sporting the mega-watt smile she hadn't seen in awhile, and he was laughing as he rolled the window down. "Race you home!" he challenged. "We're going to be late for dinner."

Eddie smiled to herself as she watched him peel away in that blue car with the gravel flying, and then griped as she opened the passenger door and tried to do the same to her own body, taking several minutes to get out of her seat and waddle, yes for God's sake _waddle_ over to the driver's side. "Race you," she muttered as she put a steadying hand on her belly and was rewarded with another firm kick. "Oh, you're going to be so much trouble little no-name," she laughed, "I know it, if you're anything like you're father."

* * *

 _Now that the Chevelle is all taken care of, it's time to see about that baby Reagan!_


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Mother's Day dawned in glorious fashion on the second Sunday of May over the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, with a soft warm breeze tickling the new flower buds as the sun came up over the horizon. Despite the calm outside, and the peaceful deep, even breathing emanating from a certain someone hidden under the nearby covers, Eddie was restless and just not feeling well as the new morning light crept through the window. As had been the case for the last month or so, she'd spent much of the previous night sitting up in the reclining chair that had been dragged up to the bedroom for her. Her 36-week appointment with Dr. Geisner on Friday had revealed little baby no-name to be now slightly larger than normal, weighing in at well over six pounds already, and frankly, there was precious little room left in her slight frame for anything else, even though she was told the baby had already dropped, whatever that meant. All she knew was it was harder to walk now. With everything else now pressing up against her lungs and ribcage, it had become necessary to be inventive when it came to sleeping positions and she longed for the ability to stretch out on her comfortable mattress and snuggle with her husband once more. Judging from the way his entire body was loosely sprawled across the whole of their bed, Jamie was having no such issues and she envied him to her core. It was good though, she reminded herself, to see him so relaxed given the fact that his mother Mary's loss resonated with the entire family on this day like no other and this year it was closely followed by another sad anniversary due in just two more days. May 15th was always a solemn occasion in the Reagan household, the date that Joseph Conor Reagan had been killed in that alley just a few minutes after midnight. Eddie had been afraid that this year would be particularly difficult, what with everything stirred up again by the recent events surrounding the final showdown with Mason Malevsky.

Happily though, Jamie seemed to be more preoccupied with the preparations for the new baby than dwelling in the past. He had spent the previous two days carefully painting the nursery in neutral colors under Eddie's direction, and now there were two different borders to choose from once the big reveal had been made. On the schedule for today though, after church and a memorial dinner at Delmonico's in Mary and Joe's honor, was the dreaded assembly for the crib and changing table set that her own mother, Eva Janko, had ordered and sent ahead of her visit scheduled for the following weekend. Jamie had been a little flabbergasted at the size of the boxes when they were delivered the day before. Eddie knew that her mom's impending arrival signaled her much anticipated baby shower, a fact that Linda, Erin and Nicki hadn't even tried to hide from her. She hated surprises like that and wanted the room to be all ready by then as Eva's presence never failed to put Jamie on edge so it was best that the major things were accomplished beforehand.

Eddie looked over when the alarm clock sounded as it clicked over to 6:00 and Jamie's hand slowly reached out from under the pillow and swiped the snooze bar once with practiced aim before collapsing back onto the bed. "Live it up," she smirked, knowing that fairly soon sleep would be a prized commodity for both of them. She put her hand on her belly as she felt a familiar tightening; she'd been having Braxton Hicks contractions for a few weeks now. The baby responded with a little wiggle as room for full out kicks had disappeared. "Soon," she cooed under her breath, "a few more weeks and you can come meet everyone. Just please promise to be nice to your mommy on the way out." As with most new moms, Eddie had been growing increasingly nervous as the due date grew closer, especially after viewing the dreaded video during their recently completed birthing classes. She and Jamie had been present for three early deliveries while on patrol together, and once he had even assisted the EMT, but there was nothing quite like experiencing the whole event when it was projected larger than life in high def technicolor on the big screen. She had been proud to see that her husband had been one of the few men left standing at the end of that class although he had poured himself more than a generous two fingers from his grandfather's favorite bottle of single malt when they returned home that night.

The alarm beeped at 6:05 again, and this time Jamie's fingers emerged and carefully located the reset button before he rolled over and propped himself up on a pillow, yawning and slowly rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He raised his eyebrow and looked over at his wife knowing she had been awake for some time. "How long have you been staring at me?"

"Not too long," she revealed. "Just got up to watch the sun rise… again," she sighed heavily. "You know you're kinda cute though when you do that whole drool thing. This kid's gonna have some decent competition from the old man."

"Aw, stop," he moaned as he self consciously wiped his mouth. Danny, Joe and Erin had always teased him about that mercilessly when they were younger. "I don't know what you're talking about, Ed," he paused for a second as he stretched and really looked at her closely. He was instantly worried at the drawn look on her face. There were more things on tap for today than she realized, and he wasn't sure now that she would be up for it. "Busy day today," he prodded carefully while chewing his lip nervously. His wife looked like she had a lot on her mind. "Happy first Mother's Day to you, lambchop. How are you feeling?"

"Just really tired and sore," she admitted softly. "I guess the sleep deprivation starts before the baby comes so you kind of get used to it. Not sure I can make it another month like this, Reagan. I just can't seem to get comfortable anymore… ever." She hadn't been herself for the last few days and sounded kind of defeated, and Jamie knew that things were getting really hard for her now. Unbeknownst to Eddie, her mother was flying in from Rochester at noon today, instead of later in the week because of a business conflict, and Linda, Erin and Nicki had quickly jumped through hoops to reschedule the baby shower on such a busy holiday. It was now to be held in the back room of the restaurant they were going to for lunch. That was not the ideal arrangement, given the sad anniversaries they were observing, but Eva had been, well, rather difficult to work with and the Reagan women had bent over backwards to accommodate her, more out of respect to Eddie than anything else. It wouldn't be right to have her own mother miss the big event.

"C'mere, let me help," he murmured as he quickly got up and helped Eddie out of the chair and over to the side of the bed so he could slip in behind her and knead her knotted back and shoulder muscles. His favorite thing to do lately was to wrap his body around her and lay his hands crisscrossed over her belly and feel the life moving within her as she rested her head back against him. "I love you so much, Eddie," he whispered in her ear. "You're doing great, hon. You're already such a good mom to Kaylin, and this baby is so lucky to have you. We all are."

"I hate those women that make this look so easy," she sighed. "The ones that wear heels and dresses with the perfect little baby bump, and then they deliver in four hours over the weekend and show up in a size two the next day to drive carpool for their older kids. My mother did that I'm sure. I feel like such a failure already," she cried, "and I look like I feel!"

"No, uh uh, Ed," Jamie soothed as he held her closer. "I won't hear you talk about yourself that way. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, inside _and_ out. You're doing something incredibly hard right now… you're making a new life! Our child! No one else can ever do that! Do you think Linda or my sister were one of those perfect Stepford women when they were at this point? Not by a long shot! You're a real person, not some kind of fake, and don't you dare see yourself as anything less than perfect right now."

"Mom won't think that when she sees me," Eddie admitted sadly. There it was, the reason for the added stress and self-doubt he was sensing. All those years growing up and being told she wasn't good enough at anything she did. Jamie was sure of that, given Eva's negative tendencies, and he was ready to confront his mother-in-law should she even think about crossing the line on this visit. It's not like she had ever been overly warm and fuzzy to him anyway, although he had worked very hard to stay on her good side for Eddie's sake.

"Your mom's going to see her beautiful daughter, who is about to give birth to a beautiful grandchild, and if that's not completely obvious to her, well then Eddie, that's just her loss. Just look at how attached she's become to Kaylin. She wasn't happy with the whole adoption thing at first either." Now Jamie had to be certain that Eddie felt good about herself today, maybe this last minute surprise wasn't such a good idea. "I tell you what, why don't you stay home this morning and take the time to pamper yourself with a nice bath and all your girly stuff, and I'll get Kaylin ready and take her to church. You won't be comfortable sitting in the pew anyway. Then I'll come back afterwards and pick you up so we can go over to the restaurant to meet everyone else for lunch. That should make the day a little easier for you."

"Oh that sounds so nice, Reagan," Eddie sighed with contentment as his hands had already worked out many of the painful knots in her back. A nice bath should take care of the rest. "You're so good to me."

"Anytime, Janko," Jamie whispered. "You know that you and the kids will always be the most important things in the world for me."

###

The Reagan front row at mass was notably empty that morning. In addition to Eddie; Linda, Erin, Nicki and Danny were also absent. "Where is everyone?" Jamie questioned his father as they followed Henry and Kaylin down the front steps after the service.

"Oh, the girls were running behind with their preparations because of the last minute change of date; they went to church last night so they could get over to the restaurant and decorate the back room before we got there, and Linda sent Danny to the airport to pick up Eva," Frank whispered so his little granddaughter couldn't hear and spoil the surprise. "Her plane is due in any minute now."

"She did what?!" Jamie gasped. He had fully expected his very calm and dependable sister-in-law would be the one charged with the crucial pickup task. The thought of the older Janko woman spending any amount of time alone in a car with his brother before such an important event made his heart thud a little.

"Danny promised to be on his best behavior," Frank assured. "You need to learn how to trust your brother once in awhile. No one wants to ruin this day for Eddie. Besides, he seemed to get along fine with Eva the last time they met. If anything, it's Linda and Erin who've already had their fill with her this week. She's been pretty unreasonable about everything."

"Yeah well, that's kinda her thing, Dad, and it's not Danny's behavior I'm worried about for once," Jamie muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "He has no idea what he's in for." He thought about warning his brother, but decided against it and quickly picked his daughter up while saying his goodbyes as he hurried off to get home and make sure Eddie was ready for her big day, whether she knew it was coming or not.

###

Danny Reagan had dressed in his most stylish jacket, dress shirt and tie this morning before departing for the airport. In truth, he had been somewhat taken aback by his wife's request that he pick up and deliver Eddie's mother directly from her flight to the restaurant. Normally that would not have been something that Linda or Erin would have trusted him with so he wanted to show them that he could pull it off in good fashion. He'd even stopped at the carwash on the way over to make sure that his new used Jeep was sparkling clean for the mission. It was green, of course, Danny couldn't have seen himself in anything else, but a more recent model outfitted with all the latest safety equipment. "It even has a backup camera," he muttered to himself with self-righteous indignation; his kid brother wasn't going to make any more comments about a stone-age vehicle anymore.

He waited patiently in the parking lot and then pulled ahead to the pickup area once he'd received confirmation from the airline app that the flight from Rochester had landed and the passengers had deplaned. _This new technology is great,_ he thought as he scanned the crowd for Eva, who he knew would be out immediately having only her carry on luggage to worry about for her short three-day stay. She'd already sent all of Eddie and Kaylin's gifts ahead. Although they had only met a few times before now, he quickly spotted her walking his way, dressed to the nines in a beautiful silk spring dress with three inch heels.

"Mrs. Janko," he called as he got out of the car and quickly made his way over to her to take the luggage. "Here, let me help with those. It's good to see you again."

"Daniel," she replied with some surprise as she handed the items over. "I wasn't expecting you to be here. Your father led me to believe that Linda was picking me up."

"Yes, well, the girls were a little busy decorating this morning, so they sent me over," he answered honestly. "I'm supposed to take you directly over to the restaurant so that you're there before your daughter arrives. We're having a memorial family lunch for my brother Joe before the shower. The owner, Dano, said he'd be happy to serve you in the back dining room to keep you out of sight until they're ready to surprise Eddie."

"So I'll be eating alone," she sniffed, "in the back room."

"Ah, yes ma'am, sorry about that," he added with a slight hitch rolling through his stomach. Danny Reagan wasn't used to being on the back foot and suddenly he felt like a little schoolboy again talking to a nun about to wield a big wooden ruler across his knuckles. He opened the passenger side door to the Jeep. "Here you go, I'll just put these in the back," he said, referencing the bags.

She eyed him up and down before moving for the door. "Daniel, aren't you the one who talked my son-in-law into going out late one night this winter and drove off the road into some trees, nearly leaving my pregnant daughter a widow and Kaylin fatherless again?" She paused before sliding home the final hit, "I certainly hope we have a safer trip this time."

"Yes ma'am, I'll definitely try to do that," Danny said as he pursed his lips and let out a silent whistle as he headed to the back of the car to stow the bags, all the while thanking God that Linda's mother was nowhere near this bad. No wonder Eddie had a mommy complex and Jamie would get a deer-in-the-headlights look every time his mother-in-law's name was mentioned; the kid had sure picked a winner. He hoped for Eddie's sake that the rest of the day would go more smoothly. By the looks of it, the poor girl deserved it.

* * *

 _No one guessed that Eddie's mom Eva was the returning dark force? I'm sad and disappointed. lol. Had to bring her back for the big event, which as you might have already figured out will take place a little earlier than anticipated._


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."

The Reagan family sat with their heads bowed and hands joined around the large table in a private dining room at Delmonico's restaurant. It had been Joe's favorite place to celebrate, and each year they came here to mark the anniversary of his death and honor his life. This year they also came to remember Mary and Grandma Betty, and Frank had brought two full bouquets of a dozen red and white roses respectively, their favorites, to be placed on the table in their honor.

After paying homage to his beloved wife and the other mothers gathered around the table, he raised his glass and stood to offer his annual inspirational toast to his middle son. "When a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind him, lies on the paths of men," he quoted. "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow." He nodded and looked around the room. "To Joe," he finished.

"To Joe," everyone else echoed as they raised their glasses.

Eddie gave Jamie's hand an extra squeeze as the rest of the family busied themselves by pulling out their napkins and starting on the fresh garden salads already served. He gave her a sad smile and a little wink back to thank her. She knew he was putting up a really brave front, but that today would be a very difficult day for him. There also seemed to be something else now that had been bothering him since he returned from church, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She'd seen the worried look he had exchanged with his brother when they arrived, and Danny's answering nod and eye roll. Something was definitely up between them. Eddie's suspicions were raised.

"Grandpa, why do we always come here for Joe's lunch?" Sean asked, breaking Eddie's musing thoughts.

"This was your uncle's favorite restaurant," Frank smiled. "Joe always loved a good steak dinner, and there for a while there was a particularly cute hostess he would come here to see."

"Angela," Jamie murmured. "He met Angie when she waited tables here on the weekends during college. It's her uncle's place. Mr. Delmonico used to let Joe work off a dinner a week by running errands for him so he could afford to come here so often."

"Dano's a good man," Henry concurred. "He's always been a friend to our family. Whenever we've needed something, he's been the first to offer." His eyes drifted over to Eddie with a grin. Linda and Erin were quick to shake their heads at him behind her back. They were so close to pulling off their surprise. The last thing they needed was a slip up now, and it had always been hard for Henry to keep a secret.

"Joe asked Angela to marry him at that table right over there," Jamie remembered with a smile. "I had to bring him the ring here on my bike; he was so nervous that he'd forgotten it at home and he called me in a panic because it was her birthday and he didn't have anything to give her. No one else was around and I was scared to death that I was gonna drop it or get mugged or something else on the way over."

The rest of the meal passed by quickly as each of the Reagans shared their favorite memories about Joe, Mary and Grandma Betty. Eddie had been positioned strategically with her back to the doorway so she would not notice as more and more friends and coworkers were sneaked through the hall by her best friends Hailey and Kara Walsh. Both Erin and Linda had taken a turn to go out and pacify Eva, and finally when it was time for dessert, they signaled Jamie that everyone was in place. It was showtime. He had been adamant that no one was going to jump out and scare his heavily pregnant wife at any point... having Eva show up unexpectedly was going to be more than enough of a shock for her.

"Eddie," he said as he looked over and took her hand. "Honey, today we all came here not only to commemorate some very important people in our lives who have passed, but there's also a big group of people in the next room who are looking forward to celebrating a new life that you are holding right now on this Mother's Day." He smiled as her hand came up to cover her mouth as she got flustered. He knew immediately what she was thinking, given her reserve from the past week or so. "You look so very beautiful today, Ed," he assured as she gave him that big, wide-eyed look, the one that made his heart drop. "Everyone is going to be happy to see you. Now how about we take Kaylin and go over there and let you girls get on with your party?"

"Oh Reagan, I'm going to kill you!" she whispered. "I told you no surprises! And what about my mom?" she said anxiously as she remained firmly planted in her seat. "She's not going to be here until Thursday! She'll be so mad if…"

"Already taken care of; she flew in this morning," he told her as he stood to help her up. "Danny brought her from the airport. She's in there waiting for you. Linda and Erin planned everything, you don't have to worry at all. Now let's get you in there," he prodded, hating the feeling that he needed to push his normally vibrant wife towards her friends. She had been so down on herself recently, he had been hoping that a fun afternoon would do a world of good for her self confidence. He handed her off to Linda and Erin with a kiss. "I'll see you later at home, Mrs. Reagan. I've got some things to put together for the nursery, remember? I promised everything would be ready before your mom got here and it will be. Danny, Dad and Pops are coming over to help me. Now please, Ed, just enjoy yourself," he pleaded as she shot him a look while he watched her walk into the next room and be instantly pulled in and greeted by a throng of well wishers. He sighed and dropped his head as the door closed and he turned back to the Reagan men.

"Cripes, kid," Danny commented. "She looked like a three-time felon that you were walking down to lockup. What gives? Shouldn't she be happy right now?"

"It's her mother," Jamie seethed quietly. "She really gets into Eddie's head sometimes. She's afraid she's going to disappoint her in some way, and she's really self conscious about the weight gain now even though it's been completely normal."

"Yeah, well, easy to see how that might happen," Danny commented dryly as he grabbed the back of Jamie's neck. "Eva's quite a piece of work."

"Danny…" Jamie started, suddenly afraid of what might have happened during the car ride over.

"Aw, don't worry, kid. I was a complete gentleman," he smirked as they were interrupted by a little commotion in the hallway as Abigail Baker arrived, clutching a gift bag and looking a little uncharacteristically flustered herself. She was escorted by a man they all recognized as a member of their beloved Jets football team.

"I'm so sorry to be late, sir," she addressed Frank with embarrassment as he stood and walked over to greet them. "Marc and I just lost track of time this morning."

"It's no problem, Abigail," Frank replied with a smile as he reached over and picked up one of her earrings that had fallen off and hooked on an eyelet in her blouse collar. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips as her cheeks blushed brightly. Busted. It was rather obvious now that there had been a good reason for the delay, and she knew her boss could read her like a book. "You might want to take this before you lose it," he continued. "They've just started. Go right on in. Gives me a chance to have a drink with your fiance anyway and offer my congratulations," he said as he stood next to Marc, rather dwarfing him with his six foot-four frame. "C'mon, son," he urged as he put his arm on the young man's shoulders and led him towards the bar. "Did Abigail ever mention how fond I am of her…" he trailed off in the distance.

"Uh oh, he's getting the talk," Jamie grinned as he watched them walk away. "Bet Dad's scarier than any 300 pound defensive linesman he's ever seen coming at him."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather face down Dad sitting on the porch with a loaded shotgun than your mother-in-law again, kid. Let's go. You owe me a scotch too, and it better be off the top shelf."

###

"Insert rod A into slot B and rotate counterclockwise until you hear a firm cluck," Jamie read from the directions as the crib assembly got under way. He had returned to his house with Frank, Danny and Henry to address the arduous chore after dropping Jack and Sean off with their friends at the movies. He looked up, rolling his eyes. "A cluck? Seriously?" he griped as he dropped the paper down on his lap. They were already behind schedule after staying to have a few drinks with Frank's new buddy Marc, and he was getting nervous they wouldn't get done in time as he was sitting on the floor of the nursery with his bruised right ankle propped up on a pillow and under an ice bag. "I'm not sure I want my kid sleeping in something that clucks, and Danny, that is in no way shape or form rod A!" he exclaimed.

"Relax, Harvard," his brother assured. "Dial back that big brain of yours and just look at the pictures like the rest of us Neanderthal men do, will ya?" He deftly picked up the two parts and clicked them together. "See? Haven't lost a kid yet to a furniture collapse. Such a rook," he added.

"Give him a break, Danny," Henry commented across the hall from his seat in Eddie's recliner where he had his feet up with a beer in his hand while he was watching the proceedings. "You did let go and drop the whole damn thing down on him when you two were bringing it up the stairs."

That thought gave Danny pause for a second. "Yeah, well, if the kid here would only teach that freaking cat of his some manners it wouldn't have jumped out at me on the top landing and the box wouldn't have slipped. Anyway, he's never done well with steps. That wasn't all my fault."

"Slipped," Jamie muttered, "and he never jumped. You threw your hands up in the air like someone pulled a 357 Magnum on you when Bear walked around the corner. Big man, so scared of my little puddy tat..."

"...grizzly cub," Danny corrected.

"We're lucky you didn't send him back to the ER this afternoon when he fell down backwards," Henry continued as he ignored his grandsons' comments. "Eva would have loved that. Knocking off her daughter's husband on Mother's Day with her own baby shower gift, especially after the accident this winter. Judging from the looks she was giving you today when you got to the restaurant, you're the one on her hit list now anyway."

"Aw, Pop," Frank sighed from his seat on a folding chair. "Don't go starting something with the in-laws again."

"What?" Henry defended. "That Janko woman should be thrilled to have my Harvard-educated grandson in the family. She always looks at him like he's not good enough for her daughter, then turns around and makes Eddie miserable. That girl is an absolute sweetheart; I'm proud to call her my granddaughter now! I don't like watching when someone puts her down constantly! The only time Eva was happy was at the wedding because she was all dressed up and made herself the center of attention."

"Eddie's had it rough," Jamie admitted as he put together a few more parts. Looking at the pictures did seem to be a better idea. "All her parents ever wanted to do was give her everything; that's why her dad ended up in prison. He even told her it was because he didn't want her to go without. Problem is what she really wanted was free… she just wanted them to love each other and be a family. Her mom… she's just all caught up in appearances and she's hard on Eddie because she's not like that at all. She doesn't even want Eva here at all for the birth," he revealed. "Made me promise not to call her until it was over." He paused and looked around the room, "I mean I can't even imagine. I'd give almost anything if mom and Joe could be here for this."

Frank smiled as he looked over at his young son, "We'd all give almost anything for that, Jamie. Your mother would be so proud of you, and she would have loved this new baby and Kaylin to pieces. And Joe, he would have been the best uncle ever, and probably a father himself by now."

"Hey, watch the best uncle thing," Danny protested. "That's my crown."

"Yeah, right," Jamie snickered as he finished putting together one of the side railings. "You were afraid to pick up your own kids at first, and who taught Nicki how to drive? Who does she call when she has trouble at school? Who does Jack come to with his algebra homework? Who takes the kids out for ice cream all the time? Mmm? That'd be me," he finished tapping his own chest. "I am the ultimate uncle."

"Little kids always cry when I pick them up," Danny mused as he stood up and started joining two of the bigger pieces together with an Allen wrench. "I never got why they do that to me and glue themselves to you, but hey, at least Kaylin kinda likes me now!"

"Children and animals, Daniel," Frank tutted as he handed him the bolts. "They can sense your fear."

"Yeah, well wait until the kid here sees his wife in full blown labor; his knees will be shaking together too. There's nothing like going through that to put the fear of God into you."

"It's true," Henry piped back in. "St. Vic's had to replace the whole floor outside the maternity unit after your father wore a hole through it pacing when you were born, Jamie," he said.

"Pop, exaggerate much?" Frank scoffed. "Besides that one was an emergency… Jamie was more than a month early and Mary was in real trouble if you recall," he said, thinking back to that frightening night and all the prayers and promises he had offered up in that short time. "We were on pins and needles for that whole pregnancy. She had to have an emergency C-section. I could have lost them both…" he trailed off as he caught Jamie's eye. His son had just gone a few shades paler. Now was probably not a good time to rehash those memories. "But everything worked out, and you were fine," he said as he cleared his throat.

"Yeah," Danny said as he thought back to that night. He had been nine years old and sleeping next to his mother on her temporary bed in the den when she'd woken up in trouble. He'd also been the one to alert his dad and call for the ambulance, and he had never forgotten the fear on Frank's face or in his own heart as he watched them come take his mother away. "Was no wonder you spelled the kid's name wrong when they asked you, Dad. Try not to do that, Jamie. Mom held that one over him for years."

"We'll be fine. Eddie's doctor said everything looked good when we were there on Friday. The baby is just a little bigger than normal for this age. We still have weeks to go," Jamie insisted as he stood up and hobbled over with the railing to snap it in place. "There," he said as he inspected the sturdy bed before glancing at his watch. "Just in time. Let's get this stuff cleaned up. The girls should be back any minute."

* * *

 _There, we needed a little Reagan male bonding time, didn't we? So everyone thinks the baby's arrival is weeks away? Maybe, or maybe not! Let's see what happens next..._


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"Eddie, honey, please talk to me," Jamie pleaded as he knelt next to her chair in the bedroom. It was past eleven that night, and she had settled down in it immediately after coming upstairs to sleep and was staring out the window. Kaylin was in bed and Eva had retired to the guest room an hour or so previously. Eddie seemed relaxed but had been very quiet all evening after coming back from the baby shower, and he was concerned about her.

"I'm okay, Reagan," she smiled as she took his hand. "I'm just really tired for some reason. It's just been a long day and I've had a lot of those Braxton Hicks contractions. The shower was very nice, and I had a lot of fun. Mom actually seemed to enjoy herself and Linda, Erin and Nicki really pulled out all the stops. They did a great job. My favorite present was the onesie the Hailey gave me that says 'Best Oops Ever,' isn't that great? I can't wait to use it."

"They did it because they all love you," he murmured as he stroked her cheek. She felt warm and that drawn look was still bothering him. "You sure you're feeling okay? I think you might have a fever."

"Hot flashes," she smirked. "On and off all day too. You worry too much," she added as she turned back to the window. "Oh Jamie! Did you see that? It was such a bright shooting star! Do you think that was a sign?"

"Make a wish," he smiled.

"All mine have already come true," she admitted softly. "Well, all but one, but we still have a little while to go before that happens."

###

Jamie was restless again in the bed that night after the couple had fallen asleep apart. His dreams since the car accident had been largely benign and peaceful, but tonight proved to be an exception. He rolled around as a choking fear came over him but he could not seem to fight it off or wake himself up. He swore he felt familiar hands touching him and soft voices trying to soothe.

" _Jamie, please wake up and don't be scared anymore!" Joe was pleading. "Why Mom? Why won't he wake up? I'm his big brother. I don't want him to be scared anymore!"_

" _It's just one of his night terrors, Joe," his mother was trying to assure. "Like he had when he was a baby. You know that Jamie gets these every once in awhile and we can't wake him up out of it. He'll settle soon and he won't remember a thing by tomorrow."_

 _"Sometimes he likes it if I talk to him, though," Joe replied. "When he's afraid of stuff."_

 _Mary smiled as she thought back to all the nightly conversations she'd heard between the two in the last few months. They were mostly one-way of course, as Jamie was lost in the dreams and Joe was doing his best to break through and protect him._

 _"What's wrong this time?" Joe asked quietly with frightened, guilt-ridden eyes. He knew he should have been there to keep the scary stuff away from his little brother. "I promised him I would keep him safe."_

 _"I don't know, Joe," Mary answered as she cuddled Jamie close, relieved to find him tranquil once more and praying fervently that nothing bad was about to happen to her youngest son. "These particular days have always been hard for him since we left, but I have a feeling he's going to need some of our help again." It was hard to console him from where they were now, and he had already been through so much._

 _"Can we stay with him, Mom?" Joe's voice whispered. "I don't want him to be alone."_

 _"Yes baby, we can," Mary affirmed. "You and I will stay here and watch over him. We'll always make sure he stays safe together. I promise."_

"Jamie, please wake up!" the hands were firmer now, and the shaking was more urgent. He was able pry his eyes open this time as the soft, welcome feeling of his mother's embrace fell away while the subdued morning light from the window showed Eddie standing above him with a panicked look on her face. "Something's wrong!" she cried.

"What?! What is it, Ed?" he demanded as his senses roared back. He reached over and turned the lamp on. Eddie was flushed and sweating and his touch revealed her skin to be very warm. She most definitely had a high fever now.

"I don't know; I just don't feel right," she said as she collapsed to sit on the bed while her side and back tightened up. "And I think that… well I think I might be having real contractions now," she said as she put a hand on her belly. "It's too early though! Dr. Geisner said we had at least a couple of more weeks!"

"Oh! Okay! Okay! Don't panic!" Jamie exclaimed as he jumped up and failed to take his own advice. He was soon hopping around on one foot as he struggled to pull a pair of jeans on. "What should we do? Do you need a bus?" He cursed Danny again as he tried to get a sock over his sore, swollen right ankle and had to sit down and undo all the laces of his shoe before he could slip it in.

"No, just drive me," Eddie said as she fought to hold back the tears. "It's faster. We need to go now. I'm getting scared, Jamie! I'm not ready for this yet!"

"Oh, honey, don't be scared," he halted his frantic movements and grabbed her by the shoulders to look in her eyes. Deep breath now, Reagan, he reminded himself. Time to be strong, can't be a complete wreck in front of her. "Whatever it is, the doctors will fix it right up, and if the baby comes early, it will be okay. Look at me… I turned out alright, and it was around this time when I was born. I'll just go wake your mom and tell her so she can keep Kaylin."

"Oh no, my mom's here!" Eddie sighed and closed her eyes. In her bit of hysteria she had forgotten all about that. It sounded horrible, but she was sure there was no way she was going to be able to deal with her mother during this.

"Breathe, Janko," Jamie reminded as he pulled on a shirt and hobbled to the hallway after grabbing his phone. "I'll be right back to help get you downstairs. Just sit tight. I'll call Dr. Geisner's office and let them know we're on the way."

###

 _Monday, May 14, 9:30 a.m._

Jamie sat nervously in the chair by Eddie's bedside with one knee frantically bouncing. He fought the urge to stand up and pace, mostly because his sore ankle made that impossible. Eddie had been admitted upon her arrival and the doctors had been attending to her for several hours already. She was on an IV to combat dehydration with medication to try to stop her contractions and a high white blood cell count had indicated an acute infection, most likely in one of her kidneys. There was of course great concern for the baby, but so far all the tests and monitors had indicated that it was fine. Her fever was still quite high, but she had fallen asleep a few minutes ago much to Jamie's relief. He hated seeing his wife in such distress. He brought his hands up to rub his stubbly face when soft knock brought him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see his father standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Dad," he whispered as he shuffled out into the hallway, mindful not to disturb Eddie's tenuous rest.

"I came as soon as I could," Frank said worriedly. "How is she?"

"Okay for now," Jamie reported. "They're trying to figure out what's causing the infection so they know how to treat it. They're afraid she could go septic, Dad," he said as he blinked back the tears. "Linda is trying to get the lab to rush the tests through," he paused, shaking his head. "I knew… I knew something was off the last week or so. I thought she was just depressed and thinking about her mom's visit, but she was getting sick. How could I not see that?"

"Jamie, she was just at her doctor for an appointment Friday and we all saw her yesterday. You can't go blaming yourself son, that serves no purpose. She looked a little tired, but fine. What woman wouldn't be at this stage?"

"Her mother, according to Eddie," Jamie sniped a little. He'd already had his fill of his mother-in-law for the morning. She had sent him several text messages insisting that he find someone else to babysit Kaylin so she could come down to the hospital. He had chosen to ignore her for now, hoping that would hold her at bay at least for the time being. His wife was in no shape to deal with that at this point.

"What about the baby?" Frank redirected out of concern for his unborn grandchild.

"Looks okay so far," Jamie told him. "They've got the contractions slowed down to almost nothing now. She's not really in any shape to deliver and they want to avoid a C-section if she's already got an infection." He looked up to see Dr. Geisner hurrying down the hall towards them. "Here comes her doctor now," he said, suddenly fearful at the woman's pace.

"Mr. Reagan," she addressed him urgently. "Can I have a word alone with you?"

"This is my father," Jamie swallowed hard as he felt Frank's comforting hand come down quickly on his shoulder. "You can say anything you need to in front of him."

"We have your wife's labs back," she explained with no further hesitation. "The infection she has can become serious if not treated, and the antibiotics required are too strong for the baby to handle. I know we just spent several hours stopping her labor, but the best course of action now is to have her deliver naturally today so that Eddie can be properly cared for. All the tests show that the baby is in good shape and will only be considered slightly preterm at this point. With your permission, we'll be giving your wife medication throughout the day to restart her contractions and dilate her cervix. If all goes well you should be a father by this evening," she added.

"Of course," Jamie replied with a dry mouth as his dad steadied him and gave a little shake of encouragement. This was all happening so fast. "I guess if that's what you think is best. Won't it be hard for her to do that though if she's already not feeling well?" He didn't know exactly how difficult it was to push a baby out, but judging from what he had seen on the job and in that damn video they were forced to watch; it certainly didn't look like a walk in the park.

"It's not ideal," Dr. Geisner agreed, "and it does raise the risk of complications for both your wife and the newborn but we'll give her as much support as we can. Hopefully by when the time comes for the hard work we'll have her fever down a bit. It's probably not going to be easy on her but it is the best option at this point. We need to avoid an operation if at all possible."

"Okay, then," Jamie nodded as he looked between the two concerned faces. He was having a hard time with this medical decision thing and thought back to the recent times when Eddie had been the strong one in charge and the roles were reversed. She had always done her best for him and wasn't afraid to stand up and fight if needed. "I guess that's what we need to do. We'd better get started."

* * *

 _The dream sequence with Mary and Joe was a flashback Jamie was having to an experience he had when he was a baby himself. See chapter 5 of "Snapshots" for the Prequel - Night Terrors for the whole story. And beyond that, here we go! Little no-name Reagan makes a much anticipated arrival next!_


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

 _5:55 p.m._

"Edit, sweetie, you should really try to put one of those ice packs on your face... your eyes are getting really puffy," Eva Janko cajoled as she stood next to her daughter's bed. "You don't want to look out of sorts tomorrow and don't forget not to strain too hard or you'll wind up breaking blood vessels in your eyes and that looks hideous for weeks." By early afternoon, Jamie had been forced to relent and have Kaylin dropped off with Henry so that his mother-in-law was free to come to the hospital. She had been a constant presence in the room since then and Jamie could tell that his wife had taken just about all she could. He was sitting in a nearby chair rubbing his temples and contemplating how to evict her. Subtle hints and outright asking her to take a break had not worked thus far. It was nearly six o'clock and Eddie had not made a lot of progress yet, despite added rounds of medication. The one thing she did want desperately… an epidural for the pain, had been refused to her because she was still febrile so she had to endure the increasingly painful contractions on her own. Whoever mentioned they were giving her other medicine that was just as good was an outright liar in her opinion.

"Mom, for the last time, I'm not worried about what I'll look like _tomorrow_!" Eddie gasped as the latest one hit. Jamie moved over to the bed and held her hand as he helped her breathe through it before she collapsed back against the pillow, exhaustion evident in her face.

"Well, I don't know why you just don't get on with this then," Eva remarked. "When I had you it took less than three hours. You've been at this since the morning. A little more willpower and we would have already found out if this is a boy or girl. I can't believe you were silly enough to wait this long. I mean what if the room is the wrong color now? You'll have to take half your shower gifts back."

"That's it!" Jamie finally snapped under the pressure. "OUT!" he ordered as he swung around to face Eva. She was taken aback by the sudden surge of anger her normally peaceful son-in-law was displaying.

"How dare you! She's _my_ daughter Jamison Reagan," she spat. "And I'll stay here if I wish!"

"She's _my_ wife now," Jamie met her challenge without hesitation. "Husband trumps mother! Can't you see she needs your support right now, not criticism? Now go before I call hospital security to escort you out and you won't see your grandchild at all!"

Eva shot one look at her daughter with her eyes flashing before spinning around on her heel with a huff and storming out of the room. No one ever dared to speak to her like that before. Jamie immediately turned around with regret for his actions when he heard his wife sob behind him. "Oh, Eddie. Please forgive me! I'm not sure what came over me," he begged as he picked up her hand. "I just couldn't listen to her say one more thing like that to you. I'll go apologize."

"Reagan," she cried with her other hand over her mouth and tears running down her face. She was shaking and there were no words for several seconds. He felt like a complete heel. "Jamie, I've wanted to do that all of my life," she admitted as she pulled her arm away and smiled back at him while she started laughing. "It was priceless! 'Out! Husband trumps mother!' Boy, you'll pay for that one for the rest of her life." She squeezed his hand again. "Thank you," she whispered. "I really needed that."

"Oh good," he sighed in complete relief that settled to the bottom of his toes. "We'll just try to fix it... later…" he trailed off.

"Sounds _fine,_ " Eddie said as her grip tightened once more while the next contraction rolled in. They were coming every four minutes or so now. "I just hope she didn't really leave," she managed to breathe out at the end.

"Nope," Jamie admitted as he flinched with an unspoken 'ow' at her vice-like grasp on his hand while he looked down at his phone as it buzzed for a new text message. "She's in the waiting room with everyone else. Pop said thanks, he won over twenty bucks in the pool with a guess of 6:10."

"Figures. He always wins," Eddie said as she relaxed back and Dr. Geisner entered the room for a check.

"You're still at six centimeters," she said after a few minutes. "You've stalled out a little bit. I'm going to break your water now and see if we can help speed things along."

"Do whatever you have to," Eddie sighed as she prepared for the next. She was feeling almost completely exhausted by this point and they weren't even close.

"Just keep the cold packs on her and make sure she's taking in a lot of ice chips," Dr. Geisner said as she pulled Jamie aside when she finished. "Try to keep her distracted. The next few hours are going to be hard." He sighed as he turned back to his wife. He knew Eddie was strong, but he wasn't sure how much longer even she could keep this up.

###

 _8:40 p.m._

"Seven! Only seven freaking centimeters!" Eddie wailed after Dr. Geisner left the room again. "What is taking me so long? Why can't I do this?"

"You _are_ doing this Eddie," Jamie tried to reassure as he sat behind her rubbing her sore back. "You're almost there. She said that once you get to eight it starts to go a lot faster. In just a few hours you'll be able to relax and take the antibiotics you need to make you feel better."

"I want ice cream," she griped during her few moments of rest. "To hell with the damn ice chips! I hate them! Double fudge brownie blizzard with sprinkles on top. You owe me, Reagan! Remember when I had a craving for that and would make you run out in the middle of the night to get me one?"

"Yeah, and the next week you were drinking pickle juice straight out of the jar every day instead." Jamie's phone buzzed. "You won't believe this one," he laughed after he looked at it. "Erin just sent it to me. Look familiar?" he asked as he held the screen in front of her. It was Kaylin down in the cafeteria sitting in front of a big bowl of chocolate ice cream that she was obviously sharing with her uncle Danny, given the identical brown mustaches they were both sporting above their big smiles. "He's just jonesing for the ultimate uncle award," Jamie sighed.

"The ultimate _what?_ " Eddie asked as her back arched and they started their breathing exercises again.

###

 _10:20 p.m._

"So we're set then with names," Eddie panted as she fell back down on the bed. She was at eight centimeters now and the contractions were lasting almost 60 seconds and coming every two minutes or so. "You're not gonna mess anything up are you?"

"Not a chance," Jamie assured. "Abigail Margaret or Kristopher Jamison… how could I mix those up? You haven't changed your mind have you?"

"No! But look at what your dad did! I mean he's the Police Commissioner and he was a freaking marine for God's sake, and he still screwed up under pressure because he was rattled when you were born. Not sure if I can trust you or not!"

"Eddie," Jamie said shaking his head. "After all that we've been through together, the last thing you should need to worry about is being able to trust me, right? I swear I will not screw this up."

"Better not!" she demanded as she closed her eyes. "Jamie, I'm not sure I can do this any more," she whimpered. "I'm so tired now."

"I know, Ed," he said as he stroked her forehead with a cool rag. Despite everything they had done, her temperature was still well over a 100 degrees and she was weak. "Dr. Geisner said you're going to be ready to push in another hour or so, okay? Then the baby will be here and you can rest. Just one more hour Eddie, I know you can do it, lambchop. You're the strongest person I've ever met. Please, honey, just keep fighting a little longer."

###

 _Tuesday, May 15, 12:05 p.m._

"Just one more big one, c'mon Eddie!" Dr. Geisner encouraged as Jamie sat behind his wife on the bed, holding her up and begging her to keep trying. She had been pushing hard for more than a half hour and the baby wasn't budging. The contractions were overlapping now, and she just didn't have any strength left it seemed.

"I can't!" she cried weakly through the oxygen mask as she let her head fall back against Jamie's chest. She was drenched in sweat and shaking like a leaf from her efforts. "It's too hard! I can't do it! Mom was right! I can't!"

"You have to, Eddie," he pleaded with her as he held her tight. "She's not right. You're strong. You can do this! I know you can... you have to!" he said with desperation as he looked up and met the doctor's eyes.

"Mr. Reagan, I'm afraid we're going to have to reconsider the C-section," Dr. Geisner said as she shook her head. "The baby is starting to show signs of distress and your wife is just too exhausted. Her contractions are not productive enough. We can't wait much longer."

"But I thought that was more dangerous for both of them?" Jamie asked in a panic. This was absolutely the most helpless he'd ever felt in his entire life. His wife and baby's lives were both in his hands. He found himself praying harder than he ever had before for help. _Please God, Joe, Mom… someone, we need you!..._

"Something's wrong with the baby?! Are you freaking kidding me? After all of this?" Eddie rallied suddenly. "Are all of you Reagans always this stubborn? Tell your kid to get out of there now!" she cried as she pulled on Jamie's arm. "One more time," she huffed as she sat back up determinedly. "Just give me one more chance!"

Knowing that the child was now at risk, Eddie reached deep and somehow found the strength to continue for another few minutes. After one final push the sounds of the baby's first cries echoed in the room. Jamie looked up in wonder and kissed his wife's forehead as she collapsed back against him, unable to even open her eyes anymore. She had given absolutely everything she had and was completely spent.

"Oh my God, Eddie, you did it! I can't believe it… our baby is here! So incredible..."

"Don't keep me in suspense, Reagan!" She moaned as she lay there, too exhausted to sit up and see for herself. "Who?... Who is it?... Kristopher or Abigail? A boy or a girl? Tell me!" she demanded weakly as she gasped for breath.

"Oh, Ed, honey, we need to talk," Jamie said with tears in his eyes as he looked up at the clock.

* * *

 _Ha! You guys knew I was going to add that ultimate cliffy, didn't you? I couldn't help myself. One more chapter to go and then an epilogue to wrap things up. I promise the full identity of the newest Reagan will be revealed next although maybe some of you have already guessed?_


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Frank Reagan had taken to pacing for the last hour or so, ever since Linda had come out from checking in the back and informed them that Eddie was about ready to push. They had listened three times this evening now while the soft lullaby music had come over the speakers indicating another baby had been born, but so far there had been no news on little baby no-name's early arrival into this world. That wasn't the only thing that had the normally stoic father restless. Frank paused to look at the clock. Midnight on May 15th. Just ten clicks before that awful moment in the alley where Joe had been taken from them while he was alone. His boy… the jokester, the peacekeeper. Ten clicks would mark the anniversary of another full year he had been gone. Every Reagan felt that time more firmly imprinted in their heart with each passing date. Tonight though, maybe there would be another special event that might soften the annual blow.

Henry watched as his son followed an all too familiar routine as he performed the same loop he had when Jamie was being born... down the hall to the elevator door, back up to the opposite side, return to the right and pause to stare at the double doors for no more than twelve seconds before repeating the action. Once again, as he had done long ago, he stepped in the way and pulled his son over to the chairs.

"Francis, sit," he ordered.

Unlike back then, when they had prayed together for Mary and her baby, this time they were not alone. The private waiting area afforded the Police Commissioner had slowly filled to near capacity during the day as each member of the Reagan family arrived in anticipation of the big event. Unable to stay away, Henry had asked Erin to come fetch him and Kaylin, and the little girl was now sound asleep on the small couch with her head on her aunt's lap and Nicki's jacket covering her as they waited for news. Linda and Danny were sitting in the far corner holding hands and talking quietly as the boys dozed off. Frank now found himself seated in the only remaining chair, which happened to be next to Eva, who sat stone faced with her arms and legs crossed. She had barely spoken two words to anyone since being unceremoniously outed from Eddie's room nearly six hours previously. He knew she was still fuming, but Frank thought he would try to break the ice and smooth things over again if possible.

"So, it's exciting," he offered. "The suspense I mean… you know, waiting to see if you have another granddaughter or a new grandson. I can hardly stand it myself."

"It was ridiculous of them to wait all this time," Eva commented flatly. "I don't know what they expected to gain from it."

"Well it was their choice and we need to respect it."

"Respect?" she scoffed. "Where was the respect your son should have shown me tonight?"

"Eva, if Jamie felt the need to do that, it was out of complete concern for Eddie and her welfare," Frank commented. "They've been partners for as long as they've been in love. Believe me when I tell you that he would absolutely lay down his life for her in a split second, and she would do the same for him." He paused, adding, "You know, you've raised a wonderful daughter. I've come to love her like one of my own. She's brave, kind and caring, compassionate, smart and funny and very strong willed. You should be proud of the woman she is right now and not worried about changing superficial things. She's a wonderful police officer, wife and mother. She is who she is, and that's pretty damn special in my opinion."

"We only ever wanted the best for Edit," Eva admitted as her resolve started to soften and crack. Fear was taking over now; they had been in there a long time and her own child was ill. As difficult as it was for her to express, Eddie's mother did hold a deep devotion for her daughter. "Her father and I, we were only worried about giving her the best and look where it's gotten us," she said, shaking her head. "I've lost them both."

"I don't believe that," Frank comforted as he took her hand. "Eddie has too much love in her heart for you. I've only ever wanted the best for my son as well, and I think they've both found that in each other. You can relax now and just sit back enjoy it. Consider your job done… it will give you more time to spoil another grandchild," he laughed softly.

"Maybe you're right, Frank," she admitted with a small smile. "Thank you for that. I just wish there was news..."

Just then, the haunting lullaby tones came over the speaker once more. All the Reagans and Eva stood up together and looked at the clock. 12:10. "Do you think it could have been?" Erin whispered tearfully.

"Had to be," Danny muttered. "There's no one else. Linda said Eddie's the only one left back there in active labor right now."

"Please, please God, let them be alright," Eva found herself praying out loud; for once not caring about anything else. Frank's hand remained on hers and he gave it another small squeeze. A few minutes passed and his phone buzzed in his pocket. Caught up in the moment, he almost ignored it, but when he pulled it out and looked down a big smile crossed his face. Jamie had taken a selfie of himself and Eddie with a newborn baby laying across her chest covered loosely with a blanket.

" _Hi Grandpa! I'm here!"_ it read. " _everything ok. b out in a few."_

"Oh my gosh!" Erin squealed as she took the phone and passed it down the line. "It looks just like Jamie did!"

"IT? IT'S STILL AN IT?" Danny asked in exasperation as he reached to see. "So what is it? Did he say?"

"Nope," Frank replied with a heavy sigh. "Looks like your brother is going to keep us in the dark a little while longer. All that matters is that they are both okay," he smiled at Eva and breathed in relief.

"Boy," Linda said as she looked at the photo. "Spitting image of Jamie, down to the wavy hair. No doubt."

"You're right, Aunt Linda," Nicki agreed. "Definitely a boy."

"Girl," Henry countered as he adjusted his glasses. "I think it has Eddie's eyes."

"Pop, the baby's eyes are closed in that picture!" Frank huffed. The whole family was laughing and taking bets on the true identity of their latest member for another twenty minutes before a door down the hall opened and Jamie emerged, carefully carrying a small bundle in his arms while he was limping slightly down the corridor. He was smiling through the tears though as he approached.

"Oh, there's a blue hat!" Erin breathed. "It is a BOY!"

"Everyone," Jamie started with a raspy, emotional voice as he stopped next to his father and looked around at all the expectant faces, pausing to take a deep breath. "He's here. I'd like you all to meet my son... Joseph Daniel Reagan, six pounds, four ounces and nineteen inches even. Born at 12:10 on May 15th, the exact anniversary of Joe's death." He was shaking as he looked at his father and added quietly, "I know he's still with us. We needed him again tonight."

"Oh, Jamie," Frank choked through his own tears as he stared down at the baby who was just stirring now. He thought back to the wonder of the moment when he had first laid eyes on each of his children. "What a fine looking boy. I'm so happy for you, son," he said as he reached over and pulled his shoulder over for a hug and a firm kiss on the side of his head. "Well done," he whispered.

"And Edit?" Eva asked in a small voice. "How is she?"

Jamie's eyes were rimmed with red as he looked over and squeezed Eva's arm. "She's doing okay now. It was hard on her, but they're finishing up and will be putting her back in her room in a few minutes. Dr. Geisner is making sure that she gets started on the antibiotics right away and they've given her some stronger pain medicine now so she'll be a little sleepy. I'll take you back when she's ready. She's been asking for you."

"Thank you," Eva sighed as she reached over and gave Jamie a heartfelt hug and kiss on the cheek as she put her hand on the baby's blanket. "And thank you for being there for her," she added softly as all had been forgiven with the sight of the new baby boy and the news that Eddie was going to be fine now.

"So Daniel, eh?" Danny smirked as he tried to contain his own tears. He hated being so emotional in front of others, but there was no hiding it this time. Jamie's announcement had touched him at the core. "You sure you want to do that, kid?"

"Yeah, I do," Jamie turned to his brother. "It was the only thing that felt right, you know? After all that we went through…" He paused and blinked a few times. "Danny… are you crying tough man?" he asked with some amusement.

"Nah, just the bright lights in here," his older brother shrugged as he sniffled and wiped his eyes. "Now let me hold that kid. If he's gonna have my name there's some things we need to talk about, man to man."

"You're sure?"

"What did I just say, Harvard?" Danny griped as he carefully accepted the soft bundle from his brother. "He's so small," he whispered in amazement as he stared into the same face that his two brothers had shared. It was like stepping back in time to that morning when his grandfather had taken him to the hospital with Erin and Joey to meet their youngest brother. Just then the baby let out a strong wail and everyone laughed.

"And so the streak continues," Henry smiled as he gripped Danny's shoulders. "That's one good-looking young man," he added with misty eyes himself. "Must take after me."

"Daddy?" Kaylin's small voice piped up from the couch. The baby's cry had finally woken her. "Where's Mommy?" she asked sleepily, as she sat up rubbing her eyes. "Did the baby get born yet?"

"Mommy's just fine, sweetness," Jamie said as he walked over and picked her up. "We'll go see her in a few minutes, and yes, the baby is finally here. Come meet your brother. This is Joey," he added as he held her up to see.

"Can I touch him?" she asked in awe.

"Of course," Jamie told her. "Very gently like this," he showed her as they stroked the baby's blanket softly.

"Oh, hi Joey," Kaylin giggled as she peered at her little brother in wonder while his eyes opened and they looked at each other for the very first time. "I'm your big sister. I'm gonna take such good care of you. I'll always make sure you're safe."

"Well that sure sounds like a Reagan, doesn't it?" Frank laughed as he took some photos of the moment. Today's date would most certainly have a different meaning for the entire family... something special to truly celebrate now.

###

A soft knock drew Jamie's attention once more. He startled a little from where was sitting in the chair next to Eddie's bed as she slept peacefully; the pain medication and the antibiotics now afforded the opportunity to work. Her fever had come down appreciably in the last hour or so which was a great relief. Kaylin was curled up on his right side and Joey was cradled in his left. The waiting room had thinned out with almost everyone going home for the night to sleep. Jamie grinned and shook his head when he saw his father standing there taking yet another photo... he was in total grandpa mode now.

"I hope you don't force everyone at 1PP to look at all those," he joked.

"What? I can be proud. You have a beautiful family, son," Frank commented as he walked in the room and gave Eddie a soft kiss on the cheek. "She's better?"

"Yes," Jamie answered. "Thank God for that."

"Yes, that's good to hear." his father said. "I think you need to put that baby down for a little while, though," Frank nodded towards the bassinet. "You'll spoil him, you know. At least that's what your mother would tell me. Not that I ever listened," he added, laughing.

"I just can't believe he's here already," Jamie admitted as he stroked his son's face. "A few times in there, you know, it got pretty scary, and I thought… well I thought maybe that something would happen to the both of them."

"I remember," Frank admitted. "It was the same with you." He paused to smile as he reached down for his sleeping granddaughter and picked her up. "Put the baby down and get some rest, son. You'll need it. I'll take Kaylin home for the night. You'll have a whole lifetime together with all of them."

* * *

 _So this whole long journey has been about resurrecting things from the past and fixing them… the nightmares, the Templar, the car and now that there is a Joseph back in the Reagan family, all's right with my little fiction Blue Bloods world. :-) Next, a short epilogue wraps it up and explains where things go from here._


	39. Epilogue

Epilogue

Frank Reagan was smiling as he strolled down the streets near his home on a fine early summer morning. Sometimes it was nice to ditch the detail and the batmobile, as his children called it, and just be a regular guy again especially on a beautiful Saturday like this. Although if he had to be completely honest, he would have admitted he was on a mission... it had been a busy week, and he felt the urge to drop in and check on his youngest grandchildren for a bit. Little Joseph was just a month old now and Eddie had not yet returned to work so Frank was missing his daily visits with Kaylin in daycare and, of course, who could resist holding that baby?

He nodded to the new tenants of the little cape cod, just across and a few doors down from Jamie's house. A nice, young couple had moved in after Mason Malevsky's death had left it vacant and they were hard at work painting and cleaning up the yard. Judging from the toys sitting next to them, they must also have some young children, Frank surmised. It'll be nice for the kids to have some friends the same age on the street, he thought as he walked up to his son's front door and prepared to give a knock. He was surprised when it opened on its own before he even touched it.

"Frank!" Eddie startled. "Sorry! Didn't see you coming," she laughed. "Come on in. Kaylin and I were just headed out for a little mommy-and-me shopping time."

"And ice cream!" Kaylin said excitedly as she followed behind. "Grandpa, do you want to come?"

"Well that all depends on the flavor," Frank smiled. "What are you going to get?"

"Chocolate!" Eddie and Kaylin both answered and laughed together.

"I'll pass this time," he said. "But rumor has it Aunt Linda is bringing her famous cookies for dessert after Sunday dinner tomorrow. I might have to pick up a little vanilla bean for everyone to go with those."

"Yay!" Kaylin shouted.

"You're looking good, Eddie," Frank smiled as he glanced at his daughter-in-law and leaned over to give her a peck on the cheek. "I know it took you a bit to get over being sick and everything else."

"Thanks," she replied with her eyes sparkling. "I feel great now. So much more like my old self. Jamie's out in the yard with the baby. I'm sure he'd love some company."

Frank eagerly walked out back through the patio door, expecting maybe to find his son camped out on the deck relaxing with some coffee. Instead he smiled as he saw that Jamie had pulled the Chevelle out under the shade tree and had all the materials around to wash and wax it. The windows were rolled down though and he could see him just sitting in the front seat leaning back against the headrest with his eyes closed. Curious as to what he might be doing in there, he strolled over to take a closer look.

"Taking care of my car?" Frank asked as he leaned down and looked through the passenger side window. He smiled when he caught sight of his youngest relaxing with the tiny little boy in his arms having his bottle while wearing an NYPD onesie someone had personalized with 'My Grandpa is the Commish'. That had Abigail Baker written all over it... literally. He could recognize her handwriting anywhere.

"Oh, hey, Dad, we were just out on meal, and besides, I thought it was my car," Jamie joked with a grin.

"It is," Frank beamed with pride as he opened the door and took a seat.

"Did you hear that, Mr. Joseph Daniel Reagan? Grandpa says it's all ours. Now look at this, Joey," Jamie smiled as he put the empty bottle down while nestling the tiny boy on his lap and leaning him back against his chest so he could put his little hands on the wheel. "I know it's hard for you to see right now, but they don't build them like this anymore, son. There's not a computer anywhere, it's pure mechanics," he said as he lovingly held Joey close and the little boy kicked his feet and gurgled excitedly.

"See that, Dad? He agrees," Jamie said, as he and Frank laughed. "We're going to have so much fun with this car again."

-fin-

* * *

 _That's a wrap for this installment, it was an epic one! Believe it or not, but the whole thing spawned from an idea I had for a little three chapter story after "Follow Your Heart" where Jamie got his car back. It always bothered me that on the show that they never really addressed what happened to it. That turned into "Home Sweet Home" because of course he had to have someplace to park it first, which evolved into two kids, a cat, and an interesting mother-in-law 115,000 plus words later. LOL. I've really enjoyed writing it! Thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows!_

 _As for the future, I'm going to let this series open for now, as I'm not really ready to call it closed in case something new develops in my brain, but I think that maybe it's run the course. Not sure yet... I might have some ideas to follow up with, but before I get too far ahead in this for now there's a new story in the works (werks? ha!). I've been inspired by lawslave and have decided to take a second track for a parallel series and explore just what might have happened to Jamie and Eddie's relationship if things had turned out a little differently when he had his accident in "He lets me call him Frank now" - suppose he had not gotten quite as sick and Eddie had not been immediately invited into the Reagan family. What if she had NOT been asked to call him Frank that day? Hmm? Where would Jamie and Eddie be then? Still partners on the job? Lovers? Might they have met some of the same people along the way on an alternate journey? Maybe! Look for the new story called "Water Under the Bridge" when I have it done._

 _In the meantime I'm going to try to complete some more one-shots. be sure to check out "Snapshots - From the series" A grouping of one-, two- or three-chapter shots based off of the stories in this Jamko series containing "He lets me call him Frank now," "Follow Your Heart," "Home Sweet Home," and "Resurrection"... contains missing or extra scenes that just didn't fit in the original flow. PM or leave suggestions in the comments with any further requests._


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